Snow Princess
by queenofhunter93
Summary: Seidou High School baseball team's practice is known to be tough. The presence of a cold-hearted, sharp-tongued manager-slash-trainer-in-training just makes it even tougher. Disclaimer: Terajima Yuuji-sensei owns Daiya no Ace, not me.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first chaptered Daiya no Ace fic that is tied to the one-shot I've posted a long time ago. Some (more like most) of the dialogues are taken from the anime. During the match scenes, I would suggest watching the anime episode while reading, because my description-making skills are nonexistent. I started this fic just to indulge myself, and it wasn't even supposed to see the light of day, but because my friends wanted to read it, I decided to just post it and hope for the best.**

 **This whole fic is done, and if nothing goes wrong, I will post a chapter every Saturday and Sunday.**

 **Word of caution: I tend to make my OCs Mary-Sue, so if you don't like that, you can stop reading now and I won't hold it against you : )**

 **And for the people who are waiting for the sequel of my Naruto fic, Secrets, I am _so_ sorry to say that I haven't gotten down to continue writing it. I've got a couple of chapters ready, but I'm not ready to post it yet. I hope you guys will be patient and wait until I'm ready. Again, I'm so sorry.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy it!**

* * *

"Yukari-chan."

Ichikawa Yukari looks up from her notebook as she takes her earphones out of her ears. Usually, when she wears them, people know that she is not to be disturbed. But there are people who are exempted from that rule, such as Kataoka Tesshin – the Seidou baseball team's head coach –, Takashima Rei – the Seidou baseball team's scout –, Oota Kazuyoshi – the Seidou baseball team's advisor –, and her parents.

This time, because Rei is the one who called her, Yukari doesn't think twice when she pulls her earphones out – not like she was listening to anything, it's just effective to ward off troublesome people. She pockets her notebook and pen as Rei approaches her with a brunette boy wearing a yellow hoodie in tow.

"Is this the one you caught from Nagano, Rei-san?" Yukari asks. She can see that her choice of words has confused the boy.

"Not quite yet. He's just here for a visit so that he can make up his mind. This is Sawamura Eijun from Akagi Junior High," Rei says, "Sawamura-kun, this is Ichikawa Yukari, Seidou baseball team's trainer and manager. Sometimes she comes with me to scout too."

"N-Nice to meet you! I'm Sawamura Eijun from Akagi Junior High in Nagano!" Sawamura says with a loud voice as he bows at Yukari. She winces at the volume.

"Ichikawa Yukari. First year. Nice to meet you too," Yukari says with a small bow, "And I'm not a trainer yet."

"First year?!"

"What position do you play?" Yukari asks, ignoring Sawamura's reaction after he hears her grade.

"I-I'm a pitcher!" Sawamura says. Before Yukari can open her mouth to say another word, a loud voice comes from the field.

"Hey, Kawakami!" Yukari sighs at the familiar voice of Azuma Kiyokuni, a third year player who gets on her nerves all the time because of his loudness, "You throw like a girl! How about you pitch with some feeling?! You're tired already?! This is why you can't make the team!"

"I'm sorry…" Kawakami Norifumi, a pitcher from Yukari's year, says from behind the pitching screen.

"If you don't wanna get better, then go back home to your mommy! We've got plenty of pitchers to replace you!" Azuma shouts. Yukari feels a slight movement come from Sawamura, and she eyes him from the corner of her eyes.

"I want to get better!" Kawakami says.

"Then give me your best shot!" Azuma taunts.

"You should take a good look at his batting," Rei says to Sawamura, who turns to look at Rei.

"That's true. Despite his troublesome personality, Azuma Kiyokuni-san is a formidable batter," Yukari says.

"He's a monster batter with 42 home runs in his high school career. He's one of the players who'll be drafted this year," Rei explains. Kawakami then pitches a ball which is hit with immense power by Azuma that it flies over the fence.

Azuma scoffs, "It's like I'm swinging through air! You're gonna make my skills rust like that! Kawakami! You're done! Get off the mound!" Kawakami looks like he doesn't want to, but he doesn't – more like can't – say anything towards Azuma, "Someone carry him out! Put him in a cardboard box and send him home!" Azuma says before laughing.

Yukari presses the bridge of her nose as she feels a headache building out of annoyance. _What a nuisance. He's got nothing but his batting skills, yet he's so damn arrogant_ , Yukari thinks.

"…what's his problem?"

Yukari turns when she hears those words come out of Sawamura's mouth.

"He's gonna play pro ball with a body like that?! Impossible!" Yukari's eyes widen when Sawamura shouts those words towards Azuma, "Look at his belly! He looks like an old man!"

"Wait, Sawamura-kun!" Rei reprimands him. But Sawamura doesn't stop right there.

"I bet he's at least 40 years old! There's no way he's in high school!"

Yukari smirks at Sawamura's antics. _He's got guts. Interesting…_

"Who in the world… is making fun of my cute belly?" Azuma growls.

"Cute belly?! I think you mean your fat belly!" Sawamura shouts as he points at Azuma and laughs.

"Who is that brat?!"

"Does he want to die?!"

"Azuma-san's been trying to lose that weight for a while, too…"

Yukari can see from her spot that Azuma is ready to attack Sawamura as some of the players try to hold him back, but failing.

"Get out of my way!"

"Wa– Azuma-kun!" Rei scolds, "Apologize right now, Sawamura-kun!"

"A 'baseball abroad' program? Maybe everyone here has determination and aspiration, but just being better doesn't give you the right to talk trash about other people. He made fun of his pitches, and then told him to go back to his mommy? Even if everyone else is fine with it, I'm definitely not gonna let it slide," Sawamura says before lifting his face to look at Azuma, "You can't play baseball by yourself!"

Azuma growls and pushes Sawamura back by his belly. Even Yukari has to admit that his bigger stature intimidates her a little, but she has to applaud Sawamura for being able to glare straight into the monster's eyes.

"Did this prestigious school not teach you that this is a team sport?!"

 _So he cherishes his connection with his friends… that's good_ , Yukari thinks with a small smirk. Suddenly Rei approaches Azuma.

"Sorry, Azuma-kun. He just came out of the countryside, so he's completely clueless about the real world," Rei explains to Azuma. Yukari scoffs out a small laugh at Rei's words and Sawamura's annoyance.

"You're a pitcher, right?" Yukari then asks Sawamura, who nods, "You're both respectable baseball players; why don't you shut him up with your skills?" she says towards both boys.

"…sure… I don't mind at all," Azuma says, "However, I won't let him get off the mound until he begs for mercy," he says as he glares at Sawamura.

"Wait a minute! I never asked to have a match with some jerk like him!" Sawamura protests.

"Sawamura-kun," Rei says with authority, "This is a baseball field. Like Yukari-chan said, if you have something to say, you're going to have to say it through baseball," Sawamura looks annoyed, but doesn't say anything further, "Now, go get changed."

"Hehe…"

Yukari turns to look behind Azuma and Rei at the sound of laughter.

"It sounds like a lot of fun," a boy says as he sits on the ground, spinning a baseball with the tip of his finger. He then lightly throws the ball in the air and catches it in his hand, "Rei-chan, Yuka-chan…" the boy with brown hair and sports visor say with a grin, "Can I catch his pitch?" he asks as he smirks widely at Sawamura and Azuma.

"Who's that?" Sawamura asks.

"Miyuki Kazuya," Yukari answers, "He's a catcher from my year."

"Miyuki! You're a first year! Don't get cocky!" Azuma scolds.

Miyuki laughs, "Well, excuse me. But Azuma-san, you've been kinda on a high horse lately, so I just think it'll do you good to play with us kids to go back to basics," Miyuki says as he keeps playing with the ball in his hand.

Azuma clicks his tongue, "Who's on a high horse?!"

"Kazuya, watch what you say!"

"He's gonna jump you!"

Miyuki ignores his teammates as he stands up and pats his behind to clean it from dirt. He then sends a smirk Azuma's way. Rei then shows Sawamura where he can get changed into a uniform, while Yukari walks towards the dugout to get Miyuki's catcher gear. When she turns around to walk towards Miyuki, she finds him already behind her. She frowns when he only grins at her.

"…what?" Yukari finally asks.

Miyuki pouts, "You're no fun, Yuka-chan. I can never catch you off guard."

"Were you even trying to catch me off guard?" Yukari asks with an incredulous look on her face, "Hurry up and get in gear," she says as she gives Miyuki his chest gear. He's wearing his shin guards when Rei approaches them.

"Miyuki-kun, I'm glad you volunteered," Rei says, "His pitches are a bit peculiar," she then smiles at Yukari, "He's really interesting, Yukari-chan. He himself doesn't even know what he has," she then smirks at Miyuki, "Think you can draw out his potential?"

Miyuki looks taken aback for a while, before he smirks, "Heeh, what was that? You must have high hopes for this kid."

After both Miyuki and Sawamura are done setting up, they go to the bullpen while Yukari follows Rei towards the side of the field.

"…no hard feelings even if I happen to hit you!" Yukari turns her focus towards Sawamura, who suddenly shouts those words at Azuma. She can tell that Azuma wasn't expecting that out of the junior high school student.

Miyuki falls over laughing, "Just as I thought, this guy's interesting!"

"Miyuki! Nothing's funny here! You wanna get hurt?!" Azuma threatens.

Miyuki takes a breath and says, "Oh, I'm sorry," without sounding like he means it.

Not long after, Miyuki, Sawamura, and Azuma move from the bullpen towards the field. Sawamura walks towards the mound, Miyuki walks towards the batter box while Azuma waits beside the batter box for the two of them to finish warming up. After putting his mask on, Miyuki smirks and spreads his arms wide, then punches the mitt on his left hand with his right fist.

When Sawamura takes his stance and throws his first pitch, Yukari's eyes widen and her whole body stiffens. She wasn't paying attention when they were warming up in the bullpen, so the sight of Sawamura's peculiar form shocks her to the core. Without her knowing, she makes her way towards Miyuki and finds herself standing behind him.

"Yuka-chan?" Miyuki asks. Yukari snaps out of her daydream at Miyuki's call.

"Sorry… I just want to see his pitch from here," Yukari says.

Miyuki smirks, "A catcher's curiosity?"

Yukari shrugs, "You can say that."

Miyuki then throws the ball back at Sawamura and the pitcher pitches once again. Yukari bites her lower lip and flinches when the ball hits Miyuki's mitt. She then walks away from Miyuki.

"Eh? Yuka-chan? Don't you wanna see more?" Miyuki asks.

"That's enough. Excuse me," Yukari says curtly as she practically runs away from the field. She can feel people eyeing her weirdly. She knows that she's making a scene, but she doesn't care. She _has_ to get out of the field _right now_. She looks up to see Rei's worried eyes looking at her.

"Yukari-chan…" Rei calls out. Yukari knows that Rei might be feeling guilty about this, but Yukari can't handle this right now.

"Excuse me, Rei-san," Yukari says shortly as she makes her way towards the spirit dorm. She makes her way to the second floor and stomps towards the closest door to the coach's room; her dorm room. She unlocks the door and slams it shut after walking in. She pants in exertion as she leans her body against the closed door. She slides down to the floor and puts her arms on her knees, hiding her face with her arms as she takes shaky breaths.

"…Kaori-nee…"

xXx

After managing to pull herself together, Yukari leaves her room. She knows that by leaving practice early and in that manner, she has attracted a lot of unwanted attention. She has never left practice early with no reason and without the consent of the head coach. She makes her way back to the field.

In the field, she sees everyone already lining up with the head coach and the advisor in front of them. She sighs in resignation as she continues to walk towards the field. _Damn it. I thought I could return to the field before Kantoku arrives… oh well…_

Yukari can feel the players' eyes on her as she nonchalantly walks towards where the coach and director stand. She nods wordlessly when the coach eyes her. She knows he was going to ask her where she was. She watches as the coach closes the practice, silently wondering if Rei had already gone and sent Sawamura home. She also wonders if Sawamura would actually consider entering Seidou.

After the players are dismissed, Yukari follows the head coach and the advisor to the viewer's room in the field. She prepares herself for a bit of scolding.

"Ichikawa," Kataoka calls out.

"Yes, Kantoku."

"I heard that you left in the middle of practice today. Why is that?" Kataoka asks. Yukari hesitates to answer. She knows that if she lies, the head coach will know immediately. But if she tells the truth, she doesn't know if he'll accept it.

"That kid from Nagano… Sawamura," Yukari starts, "He just reminds me of something I'd rather not remember," she then bows deeply, "It was immature of me to run away like that. I'm sorry, Kantoku."

Kataoka eyes the red-haired trainer and says, "Just make sure this doesn't happen again. If it does, there will be consequences. Understood?"

Yukari lifts her head and nods, "I understand."

"You're dismissed, Ichikawa."

"Yes, sir. You've worked hard," Yukari says with a slight bow before leaving the room. Outside the door, she sighs and decides to take a bath. After she's done, she walks towards the cafeteria for dinner. She should've been helping the cafeteria auntie serve the food, but because she has to meet with the head coach first, she couldn't. She decides to apologize later.

"Yuka-chan," Yukari hears when she reaches the bottom of the staircase. She turns and sees Miyuki leaning against a vending machine.

"Great work today," Yukari says simply.

"Are you okay?" Miyuki asks, straight to the point.

Yukari shrugs, "I'm fine. By the way, how was Sawamura?"

Miyuki then grins, "He was certainly interesting. His fastballs aren't all that fast, but what makes him interesting is that the more he throws, the less the pitches decelerate."

Yukari hums as she nods, "…interesting."

"Right?! Not to mention his form is also interesting!" Yukari flinches minutely at the mention of Sawamura's form, but she doesn't think Miyuki notices it, "His whole body is flexible so it makes his pitch moves at the plate. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know it."

"…moving fastball, huh?" Yukari wonders. That is actually something she noticed from watching Sawamura, "I feel sorry for his catcher back home. It must be a pain for a normal catcher to catch them."

"Heeh? I could catch them, though~" Miyuki sings with a bright grin on his face.

"You're not exactly a normal catcher," Yukari says with a straight face. She ignores Miyuki's pout and takes Miyuki's beanie off his head and puts it on hers, "I'm going to eat."

"You might wanna get a move on before Masuko-san eats everything," Miyuki teases.

"Damn it, you're right…" Yukari curses under her breath as she turns to run to the cafeteria.

"Yuka-chan," Yukari turns back to look at Miyuki.

"…what?"

"…I won't pry, but I know it when you're lying," Miyuki says. Yukari sighs.

"…later," Yukari finally says before she makes her way to the cafeteria.

xXx

Thankfully, when she arrives at the cafeteria, the cafeteria auntie saved her some food before Masuko manages to devour it all. She thanks her for her consideration and apologizes for not being able to help out. When she eats, the second year players start to crowd her as per usual.

"Did the coach tear you a new one, Ichikawa?!" Isashiki Jun asks with a grin.

"Crude as always, Jun-san," Yukari says simply as she continues to eat.

"Are you okay, Ichikawa?" Tanba Kouichiro asks.

"What happened earlier?" Yuuki Tetsuya asks.

"It's not like you to leave in the middle of practice and return after the coach closes it," Kominato Ryousuke says, then he smirks, "Have you finally reached your rebellious period?"

"UGA!" Masuko Tooru says.

"It's personal," Yukari says, "I do have a right to have secrets."

"Huh? What the hell is that? Were you PMS-ing or something?" Jun asks.

Yukari sighs, "No wonder you don't have a girlfriend, Jun-san."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"Hahaha! Nice one, Yuka-chan!" Miyuki laughs as he walks towards where the second years are crowding Yukari.

"Hyahaha! Ichikawa has a point!" says Kuramochi Youichi, a shortstop in Yukari's year and Ryousuke's partner-in-crime, as he follows behind Miyuki.

"MIYUKI, KURAMOCHI, SHUT UP!"

"But you're okay, right?" Ryousuke asks in a display of his brand of concern.

Yukari nods, "I'm okay now, Ryou-nii," she says. Out of all her upperclassmen, Yukari has to admit that her favorite is Kominato Ryousuke. He's honest to a fault, and he's an amazing player. Even though he doesn't have the biggest stature in the team, he could keep up with players twice his size.

Yukari has a special relationship with the Seidou High School baseball team players. Not just the ones who are still around, but also the ones who have already graduated. She has been helping Rei scout and the managers of the team strategize with them since she was in her first year of junior high. After getting over a short time of hatred towards baseball, with the help of a special someone, Yukari regained her love for baseball and agreed to help Seidou scout their players. After she graduated junior high, it was a no-brainer that she entered Seidou.

Even though she is younger than the players on the team, Yukari isn't afraid to use her sharp tongue on the players when it's necessary. When they slack off or when she thinks they can do better, she will openly express her opinion. Needless to say, not a lot of players particularly liked Yukari when they first met her. But eventually, they got used to her cold words and started listening to her. Some of them, like the current second year members; grew to care for her like a younger sister.

They are like Yukari's extended family. She may not show it or say it, but she doesn't mind it when she is bothered when she's eating like now. Mealtimes in her house are usually pretty quiet. But eating in the dorm cafeteria makes her happier, as it's multiple times louder – as much as she hates noise – than eating at home.

"…I heard your younger brother is coming here, Ryou-san?" Yukari hears Kuramochi ask when she comes out of her daydream.

"Heeh, a mini Ryousuke-san, huh? Is he good?" Miyuki asks.

"Why don't you see for yourself later?" Ryousuke smiles.

"Thank you for the food," Yukari says as she gets up from her seat, "You guys should get some rest. You still have practice tomorrow," she says as she takes her tray and puts it on the counter. She smiles at the cafeteria auntie and leaves the room.

"Good night, Yuka-chan! I want my beanie back tomorrow!" Miyuki says.

"Good night," Yukari says as she gives him a wave from over her shoulder without looking back. She returns to her dorm room and finally gets some rest.


	2. Chapter 2

**I would like to warn you that the things I know about baseball comes from watching this anime and extensive Wikipedia research. So, baseball experts, if you find anything out of the ordinary, do tell me! : )**

* * *

Six months have passed since the day of Sawamura Eijun's showdown against Azuma Kiyokuni. Not long after that day, Yukari heard from Rei that Sawamura had decided to enter Seidou. A new school year has come, and Yukari is now a second year student. She will have underclassmen in the baseball team, and to be quite honest, she is a little nervous – even though she doesn't show it. She knows that she can just treat them like she treated her upperclassmen, but she can't help it.

On the night before of the first practice for the new school year, Yukari returns to the dorms. Before she entered Seidou, Rei offered her a room, but her parents wouldn't let her go until she finally enrolled in Seidou. Her parents – particularly her mother – were quite worried about leaving their daughter in a dorm full of boys, but Rei and Yukari assured them that she is in great hands and that she can fend for herself.

Yukari has just finished her bath when she hears someone scream from the direction of Kuramochi and Masuko's shared room. _Ah, so Youichi-kun and Masuko-san's new roommate has arrived. I wonder how Masuko-san greeted him when he's currently not talking,_ she wonders. She also heard the same thing last year when Youichi first arrived at the dorm.

 _At this point, Youichi-kun is probably pushing the newcomer to play a video game with him…_ Yukari thinks as she remembers what Youichi said to her once, "When my new roommate arrives, I'm gonna have a video game tournament to welcome him!" Which is what she expected from a video game maniac like Youichi. Yukari shrugs as she prepares to sleep. Tomorrow, the new players will join practice, and she needs to be there earlier than anyone.

xXx

When the morning practice starts, it's time for the staffs to introduce themselves. After the coach tells her to, Yukari steps forward.

"Ichikawa Yukari. Second year. Manager and trainer in-training. Nice to meet you," Yukari says simply with a bow. She then moves to a spot beside Rei behind the second and third year players and Kataoka as the first year players line up and introduce themselves. From her position, she recalls not having seen Sawamura or Miyuki. She can see Youichi yawning widely and Masuko showing Youichi a piece of paper as his current form of communication, and she narrows her eyes. _Suspicious…_

"What is he doing…?" Rei growls from beside Yukari.

"He probably slept late because he's too excited. He seems like the type," Yukari says with a small sigh.

"What an idiot…" Rei growls again. Yukari takes a step away from Rei, because she knows how scary she can get when she's mad. Suddenly from the corner of her eye she can see Sawamura sprinting from behind the equipment shed on one side of the field.

"AAAH! HE CAME HERE LATE, BUT HE'S TRYING TO SNEAK INTO THE LINE!" Yukari hears Miyuki's voice shouting from the same direction Sawamura came from. She shakes her head with a sigh. _Idiots_ , Yukari thinks. Sawamura seems to freeze mid-sprint as everyone's eyes fall on him. Yukari wonders if he was trying to do what Miyuki did last year when he was late for his first practice.

Rei gapes and almost slaps her forehead, "That idiot…!"

"Someone should tell him not to trust people so easily," Yukari mumbles as she eyes Miyuki, who is walking towards the second and third year players' line while everyone's attention is on Sawamura, "Especially a certain catcher with a horrible personality."

Yukari watches as Sawamura tries to reason with the coach, but she knows that it's futile. Kataoka Tesshin will never tolerate tardiness, be it for the players or the managers, like Yukari. Not even someone who's been with the team for years like her escaped from his scolding because she was tardy. She watches as the coach tells not only Sawamura, but also his roommates – Youichi and Masuko – and Miyuki to run for the rest of morning practice. She rolls her eyes at their stupidity. She also tries to avoid Rei as she seems to be extremely irritated at Sawamura.

At lunch time, Yukari helps the cafeteria auntie serve the food. After the crowd dies down a little, the cafeteria auntie told her to eat her own lunch, so she did. Yukari can eat just as much as every player in the school, having been forced to eat at the same amount since her first time watching their practice. Now, she can eat three bowls of rice just fine, but that doesn't mean that she _has_ to eat three bowls in every meal.

Yukari also knows, from experience, that most of the first years usually will throw up after finishing one bowl of rice. Having a new player finishing their three bowls of rice without throwing up has never happened before. Even the players in her year also threw up after their first one, unable to continue to their second one, except for Maezono Kenta, who managed to finish his second bowl before throwing up. Yukari is very much used to this, so she always has three buckets ready behind the counter.

While she eats, Yukari can feel the awed eyes of the first year players as she devours bowl after bowl of rice. She's incredibly thankful that the cafeteria auntie is an excellent cook, so she would feel bad if she wasted her delicious food. After she's done – faster than even the second and third year, rivaling Masuko's speed –, she continues helping the cafeteria auntie while cleaning up after the first years who threw up.

After lunch, everyone is back on the field practicing. Yukari can see some of the first years are having trouble continuing practice with extremely full stomachs. For that, she already has some stomach medicine ready in her medicine box in the dugout. She can also see how amazed they are when they see their upperclassmen having no problem continuing practice as usual.

Yukari eyes Sawamura, who was one of the first year players who threw up in the cafeteria after his first bowl, holding his stomach. _It must be harder for him… he was running all through morning practice and then he had to force himself to eat three bowls of rice. He must be sick right now_ , she sighs. _Well, he's gonna have to get used to it to survive here._

"First years!" Yukari hears a coach say from one side of the field, "We'll have you group into your preferred positions to see how you fare! Change into your spikes and meet me at Field B!"

"Yes, sir!"

Yukari can clearly see Sawamura perking up at the announcement. He runs with his fellow first year players, only to be stopped by Kataoka.

"Kid," Kataoka says, "Where are you going?"

"Eh? Where? To test my own abilities?" Sawamura answers.

"You don't have to participate. If you're bored, you can run," Kataoka simply says. Yukari sighs at the coach's words. _He hasn't apologized yet, huh…?_

"Why is it only me?! The other three have already joined practice!" Sawamura protests.

"They already apologized," Kataoka says.

"Seriously?!"

"A guy who can't even apologize for being late for practice is not a member of the Seidou baseball team," Kataoka says before walking away, leaving Sawamura flabbergasted.

"He totally blew it."

"Our coach isn't going to cave in."

"If you don't like how I do things, don't show up," Kataoka says without looking at Sawamura, "Ever."

Yukari sighs. _Harsh as always. Nothing less from Kataoka-kantoku, though._

"Ichikawa, can you please come and oversee the first years?" one of the coaches asks her.

"Okay," Yukari simply says as she walks towards Field B. But before she can take another step, she hears a mighty roar from Sawamura. Her eyes are wide when she turns to look at the problematic first year.

"…I overslept because I was naïve; I have no excuse. But… but I'm… I'm…" Sawamura looks up and glares at the coach's back, "I'm here to become the ace! And I'm confident that I want it more than anyone here!"

Field A is then washed in silence as everyone's attention is on Sawamura. Yukari sighs. _This kid… it's only his first day, yet he's already made such a scene. What a drag…_

"…empty words," the coach says.

"Who are you to judge what I say?! I'm being dead serious here!" Sawamura says. Yukari rolls her eyes. _Like that manner is going to get you anywhere with Kataoka-kantoku… he's still got a lot to learn._

Kataoka turns and walks towards Sawamura, who looks like he's cowering in fear. All of a sudden the coach winds up – which looks like he was about to hit Sawamura – and throws his right arm. Yukari watches as a baseball flies through the air and hits the fence very high from the ground. Her right hand twitches as it itches to catch the ball. She has always wanted to form a battery with strong pitchers.

"Look at the faces of the first years."

"Of course they're surprised. He kicked a pro contract to coach the school where he graduated. He hasn't lost his touch."

"You want to be the ace?" the coach asks Sawamura, who is still gaping, "Then words are useless. Prove it by action."

The coach throws a baseball at Sawamura, who catches it, "…by action?" they then walk towards the home base.

"It's roughly 90 meters from this home base to that fence. If you can throw the ball to that fence, then you can join practice," the coach explains.

"A-Are you serious?!" Sawamura looks happy.

"But if you can't throw to the fence, give up on becoming a pitcher."

Yukari's eyes widen slightly at the coach's words. _That's… harsh._

Suddenly Sawamura laughs out loud, "As expected from a prestigious school. What a simple test! I just have to throw this ball way over that fence, right?"

"Impossible," Yukari simply says under her breath, "especially if his fastball really does move…"

"Over the fence?! Are you crazy?!"

"What's your best distance, anyway?"

"I don't know," Sawamura answers, much to the shock of his fellow first years.

Yukari rolls her eyes. _Just as I thought, he's practically still a chick._

"But… if I can't even do this, then I can't be the ace!" Sawamura says.

 _He has a point, but… for someone who doesn't know a thing about what they can do, at this point, it's impossible_ , Yukari thinks.

"Sawamura Eijun from Akagi Junior High! This will be my memorable first throw in high school! Thank you for this opportunity!"

 _He sounds like he's accepting an award or something…_ Yukari thinks as she watches Sawamura roll his left shoulder. He then sets off in a small run and winds up, then pitches. Yukari nods in approval when she sees that the ball is going pretty far. _But… if it does move… it will never reach the fence._

"GO!" Sawamura shouts.

All of a sudden, the ball curves. Yukari's eyes widen at how naturally it curves.

"WHY DID YOU CURVE?!"

The ball then falls from the air, not even close to reaching the fence. The players in Field A break out in laughter. Yukari rolls her eyes and turns to walk towards Field B.

xXx

The next day, on the way to the field for morning practice, Yukari notices four girls in red, white, and blue training uniforms – the team's managers. Since she has time before she has to be in the field, she approaches them. Before she reaches them, a red-haired girl she doesn't recognize, presumably the new manager, drops a bucket of baseballs to the ground.

"Good morning, Yui, Sachi, Takako-san," Yukari greets as she helps the managers take the baseball from the ground. It seems that their new manager is already making more work for the old ones.

"Good morning, Yukari!" Natsukawa Yui, one of the second year managers with short hair and bangs over her left eye says.

"Thanks, Yukari!" Umemoto Sachiko, another second year manager with pigtails says.

"Is this the new manager, Takako-san?" Yukari asks as she puts the baseball she took from the ground into the bucket.

"Yes," Fujiwara Takako, the only third year manager with long, straight black hair says, "This is Yoshikawa Haruno," she then turns to look at the new manager, "This is the team's trainer and manager, Ichikawa Yukari."

"I-It's nice to meet you, I'm Yoshikawa from Class 1-C!" Yoshikawa Haruno, the red-haired girl says as she bows, dropping the balls she has in her hand to the ground again. Yukari sighs.

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Ichikawa Yukari from 2-E. And I'm not a trainer yet," Yukari says with a small bow, "You got another clumsy one this year, huh, Takako-san? Well, she's not as bad as Sachi was, though."

"Y-Yukari!" Sachi pouts while the other managers laugh.

"Haruno, wasn't it?" Yukari asks.

"Y-Yes!"

"You've only just started, so don't lose heart. And when these girls get too bossy, don't come to me. I can assure you, I'm worse than them," Yukari says to the new girl as she deposits more balls into the bucket, "I'm gonna go to the field."

"Work hard, Yukari!" Yui says as Yukari walks away.

"Yeah, you guys too," Yukari says without looking back.

xXx

Yukari watches from inside the dugout as the first string players gather round with the coach. They are going to have a match today with Ichidaisan High. The spring prefecture tournament isn't exactly as important as summer tournaments or fall invitational, but it's a revenge match after Seidou's loss against them back in the fall. She watches as the whole first string members stand and gather in a circle.

Yukari has to be honest; it's been five years since she first saw it, and her heart still flutters every time the players gather round for the chant. It never gets old. She watches as the captain, Yuuki, puts his hand on his left chest, with the other players following suit.

"Who are we?"

"THE KINGS, SEIDOU!"

"Who's shed the most sweat?"

"SEIDOU!"

"Who's shed the most tears?"

"SEIDOU!"

"Are you ready for the fight?!"

"YEAH!"

"Bearing pride in our hearts, we have just one goal! The national championship! Let's go!"

Yuuki points towards the sky with his right hand, with the other players following.

"YEAH!"

Yukari can see the first years looking at their upperclassmen in awe. Right after the chant, the first string players scatter to get their stuff together and walk towards the bus. Yukari follows behind them with her own bag.

"We're leaving soon! If you want to come watch the game, get on the bus!" one of the coaches shout.

"YES, SIR!" the first years eagerly run towards a different bus from Yukari and the first string players. Yukari makes her way to the seat two rows behind the driver, which is her usual seat when she's on the bus with the players, and then some random player would sit beside her.

"Yuka-chan~"

"Is it you today?"

"Cold!" Miyuki says. Nevertheless, he sits on the seat beside Yukari.

"You know that from the start; don't go complaining now," Yukari simply says as she leans her right elbow to the edge of the window, waiting for the bus to start.

xXx

Yukari smirks as she watches Miyuki hit a three-run homer in the first inning. She knows that he was getting bored by the first three pitches from Ichidaisan's ace, Manaka Kaname. She writes down in her notebook that she uses to give feedback to the players.

As a manager, Yukari keeps track of every match the team has played, official or practice. During Seidou's offense, she writes down the amount of swings, hits, bunts, walks, base runs, runs, home runs, strikes, balls, fouls, steals, etc. She would also ask the batters what pitch they thought came from the pitcher, and what pitch they managed to hit. During Seidou's defense, she writes down the pitch Miyuki asks for, the pitch the pitcher throws, the kind of defense during that at-bat, the fielding percentage, the amount of double play, etc. To make sure she has the right information about the pitch the catcher asked for, after the inning has ended, she would double-check with Miyuki.

She also keeps a book filled with data of every player from Seidou and every other team they have gone up against. It's filled with standard personal information and their specialties. For pitchers, she writes down the kinds of pitch they can throw, the ones they're good at, the trajectory of their pitches, a stick-figure drawing of their forms, amount of pitch, strike, ball, strikeout, walk, runs earned, etc. For batters, she keeps track of their RBIs, batting average, on-base percentage, hits, walks, bunts, runs, steals, etc. For catchers, she has data on the plays they usually call, amount of passed ball, catcher's ERA, etc. For fielders, she has calculated their fielding percentage and acquired other information.

Being her fifth year in the team, Yukari has used more than twenty-five 100-paged notebooks, not counting the mini notebooks she has used. While it is all very organized, she tends to make doodles at the corner of the page. Not only that, but her handwriting is nothing to be proud of. As much as it is organized, it is also hard to read. Just in case the head coach wants to read it, though, Yukari doesn't mind spending more time rewriting everything in another notebook painstakingly slowly so that normal people can read it.

"Yukari, I'm still amazed that you can draw so well when your handwriting is so unreadable," Ryousuke says as he stands beside her, looking down at a messy page.

"As long as I can read it, I don't care," Yukari reasons.

"Hyahaha! You anticipated that pitch and swung for it!" Youichi says as Miyuki returns to the dugout, "Manaka-san is speechless for having his best pitch hit right off the bat!"

Miyuki smirks at Manaka, and then he turns to look at his teammates, "That was pure luck. It won't go as well the next time."

"Luck alone can't hit that pitch out of the park," Youichi says, "You don't even think it was luck!" Youichi says as he kicks Miyuki's butt.

"Now he'll be more reluctant to throw the slider," Kataoka says, "Aim for his fastballs!"

"Yes, sir!"

Yukari continues to watch as Seidou goes on offense, continuing to make notes as she does. She almost lets a laugh out when Jun bows respectfully at the umpire and catcher, but shouts at Manaka at the next second. When he hits the ball, he shouts again. Yukari smirks as she watches Yuuki hit another pitch long right down the middle of the left and center field. _They're not kidding about paying Ichidaisan back tenfold…_

When it's Seidou's turn for defense, Yukari clicks her tongue every time she sees Tanba shake his head at Miyuki's calls after walking the previous batter. She frowns when the pitch the battery settled for was weaker than what she wanted. The pitch is then easily hit, but thankfully Jun manages to catch it and throws it to Yuuki. Miyuki tells Yuuki to throw it to third base, but the runner has already arrived in third.

The match continues as Tanba throws another pitch. Ichidaisan tries to do a hit-and-run, but thanks to Miyuki throwing the ball immediately towards Youichi, who stands on second base after he catches the ball, Youichi manages to tag the runner out. Yukari smirks at the fine play. She watches as Miyuki talks to Tanba as they walk towards the dugout for the change. Miyuki is then surrounded by his teammates, while Tanba continues his walk towards the dugout.

"You got yourself in a jam with a walk, and then you gave up a hit from the weak pitch you threw," Kataoka says as he glares at Tanba from the corner of his eye, "Tanba, what have you been doing these past two years?"

 _I'd like to ask the same thing_ , Yukari thinks.

"…will Nori get switched in for the next inning, Kantoku?" Yukari asks.

"I think that would be best," Kataoka says as he calls for Nori.

"Then let's ice your shoulder, Tanba-san," Yukari says as she stands up from her seat to prepare a shoulder ice wrap for Tanba. After she's done, she puts a hand against his pitching shoulder, "I know you're upset. But brooding over it isn't going to make you any better," she says, "Now strip so I can ice your shoulder."

Tanba sighs in frustration before taking his uniform off, and lets Yukari put the wrap on his right shoulder. She then retakes her seat on the edge of the front bench closest to the head coach, and refocuses on the match.

 _As usual… we still lack a true ace…_ Yukari thinks. _Tanba-san's too inconsistent, Nori's too weak-minded… if the worst comes to worst, we're going to have to turn to the first years._

xXx

On the next day of practice, Yukari is shocked by the loud sound coming from the bullpen. She walks towards Kataoka, Rei, and Oota outside the bullpen and finds a first year pitcher and a catcher who fell on his backside, with a ball lying beside the catcher.

 _Could that sound be… the sound of a ball hitting the catcher's mitt?_ Yukari wonders, and then she smirks. _Maybe… getting an ace from a first year player wouldn't be such a bad idea._

"Furuya Satoru from Hokkaido Tomakomai Junior High School. He went as far as to test into our school in order to play here," Rei explains, "He's our only first year who has thrown 120 meters in the long throw."

"1-120 meters?!" Oota exclaims, "He's really not on a scholarship?" he then lights up, "This is why baseball is so fun!"

From the corner of her eyes, Yukari can see Sawamura getting fired up and started running with three tires tied to his waist.

"Form a team with just the first years," Kataoka says. Yukari turns to look at the coach with wide eyes.

"Then are we playing a game?" Rei asks.

"I'd like to see how many first years are ready to play in the tournaments. Ichikawa," Kataoka then looks at Yukari from the corner of his eyes, "I'm counting on you."

Yukari nods, "I understand."


	3. Chapter 3

As per usual on every meal time, Yukari helps the cafeteria auntie serve the players until the crowd dies down a little bit, then she takes her share of food and sits somewhere to eat. She finds Miyuki and Sawamura sitting right next to each other, but she doesn't want to sit next to Miyuki. So she casually sits on the seat behind Miyuki, not before stealing his hat.

"Oi, Yuka-chan… you still haven't returned my beanie and you're stealing my hat already," Miyuki protests as he watches Yukari putting her tray of food on the table. She then pulls her ponytail out of the hole of the hat before putting her hands together in thanks.

"But I like that beanie," Yukari says as she starts eating.

"I like that beanie too!" Miyuki says in irritation, "Man, you always steal my hats… I should stop wearing them around you."

"Yeah, you do that," Yukari says.

"The two of you are quite close, aren't you…?" Sawamura comments.

"You think so?" Miyuki asks.

"Anyway… everyone's so quiet," Sawamura says, "Did something happen?"

"Huh? You haven't heard? Tomorrow, the first years and the upperclassmen are having a game," Miyuki explains.

"WHAT?!" Sawamura shouts, "I haven't heard anything about that! Can I play?! Can I?!" Sawamura then proceeds to take Miyuki by his collar and shake him.

"Oi, as childish as he is, he's still your senpai," Yukari comments without looking at them, "Show some respect. How do you expect to survive here if you don't have manners? Don't you remember what happened when you disrespected Kantoku? You made a gigantic fool out of yourself."

Sawamura looks like he's been stabbed by multiple arrows from Yukari's words. He wordlessly lets Miyuki go and sits back down, "…so what about this game?"

"Usually, the first years only do basic strength training. They don't participate in the first string tryouts. But, after our last game, we're a little desperate," Miyuki explains.

"Excuse me…"

Yukari turns to look at the source of the new voice and sees the same first year who threw a fastball that made such a loud sound in the bullpen earlier standing beside the empty seat beside Miyuki. _Furuya Satoru… wasn't it?_

"Can I sit next to you?" Furuya asks.

"You!" Sawamura exclaims. The two pitchers look at each other, until all of a sudden Furuya moves and shoves Sawamura aside so he could take Sawamura's spot beside Miyuki.

"Excuse me," Furuya says.

"Why are you sitting there?! Sit on the other side!" Sawamura says as he points at the free seat beside Miyuki.

"Miyuki-senpai," Furuya says, "During tomorrow's scrimmage, I don't plan on letting anyone hit my pitch. If I manage, will you… catch my pitch?"

Yukari looks at the dark-haired pitcher from over her shoulder. She blatantly ignores the dark aura that emanates from the other players after hearing Furuya's words and continues to eat.

"Hey, rookie. You won't let anyone hit your pitch?Do you have any idea where you are?"

Before long, a lot of angry players have started to crowd Furuya, trying to intimidate him.

"You think you're so big even though you're still fresh out of junior high."

"If you want Miyuki to catch your pitch, you need to prove your strength."

"Stop ganging up on him," all of a sudden, from the other side of the room Tanba says.

"Tanba-san."

"The only way we fight is on the baseball field," Tanba says.

"Y-Yes, sir."

Having said that, Tanba's words don't hide his determination to prove that he deserves to be the ace and that he won't give the mound to anyone else. Yukari smirks.

 _I guess this is needed. The upperclassmen have been lacking in determination lately. Getting their butts kicked by the first years would be humiliating, so I'm sure they would give their all in the next scrimmage_ , Yukari thinks, "Thanks for the meal," she says under her breath. She then stands up and frowns when the crowd around Furuya seems to step back a little bit away from her.

"…what?" Yukari asks.

"N-Nothing!"

"…if you have time to waste, instead of wasting it to try and prove your superiority to your kouhai, why don't you use it to finish your meals and get some rest so you can prove your words with actions?" Yukari asks.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

Yukari then walks towards the counter to put her dishes away. When she walks towards the door to go to her room, the crowd around Furuya has dispersed. As she walks past Miyuki, she takes his hat off her head and puts it on his head while walking away.

"Good night, Yuka-chan!" Yukari hears Miyuki say.

"Good night," Yukari says. As usual, she doesn't look back. She only gives him a wave above her shoulder before retiring to her room.

xXx

Since it is a Sunday, it's nothing out of the ordinary for Seidou High School to have a crowd outside of the baseball field. Usually, it's the usual alumni coming in to check the practices or the press. But this time, word seems to have gotten around that there will be a scrimmage, so the crowd extends to Seidou baseball team's devoted fans from around the school.

When Yukari arrives at the field, she takes her time to walk to the fence and greets everyone with a bow. She also exchanges some pleasantries with the older fans who have known her since she first became a part of Seidou's baseball team. After she's done with her greetings, she leaves for the dugout. She frowns a little when she sees Sawamura in the bullpen on the side of the field practicing with Miyuki, but something must've happened if the coach let him play. She's sure he has a good reason.

After the match starts, Yukari watches it in the dugout with the second string players while making notes for both the first years and the second string players. She's still acting as a trainer, so she has to go back and forth from the second string dugout to the first years' after they change their pitcher. Sometimes she wishes that she's not the only trainer around.

Yukari watches as the first years are being slaughtered by the second string. She's glad that the second string is being serious about this scrimmage, and wishes that the first years would do the same, even though they're clearly in a disadvantage. She can feel the amazed looks the second string players are giving her at the speed of her left hand as it writes down note after note for the players. She ignores the frowns she gets when they try to (but can't) read her chicken scratch handwriting.

 _Now… let's see just how long until they break_ , Yukari thinks.

Yukari has to say that she is disappointed. It's the top of fourth and losing by ten runs, the first years already look like they're about to die. She expected them to at least hold on until the bottom of fourth. _Well, as long as they manage to pick themselves up from here, they'll be fine_ , she thinks. She then makes her way to their dugout with her messenger bag.

"I-Ichikawa-senpai!"

"After the game, I expect everyone to gather here for the feedback," Yukari says.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"What's wrong, guys?! What's with the gloomy faces?" Yukari turns to look at Sawamura, "We only just finished the third inning! We still have six innings to reverse the score! Let's not lose spirit!"

 _I don't know if he's overly optimistic or just a plain idiot…_ Yukari thinks as the first year players, instead of being fired up from Sawamura's words, look even more down than before. She ignores him and turns to one of the first years, "I'm leaving the shoulder wraps here. One of the managers is going to come with the ice box," Yukari says as she takes all the shoulder ice wraps she has from her messenger bag and hands it over. The first year player nods.

"If you're overwhelmed by the opponent before you even play, you can't play like you usually do," Sawamura says, "I want to test my strength against them! That's why I came to this school in the first place!"

 _Let's see if he's just a plain idiot or an idiot with a strong heart_ , Yukari thinks. After she's done, she returns to the second string dugout. The match continues. At the end of the fourth inning, as she said earlier, the first years switched out the outfielders and the pitcher. What Yukari doesn't expect is for the coach to let Sawamura play so early in the game.

"IT'S HERE!"

Yukari winces at the volume of his voice. _He's even louder than Jun-san… I didn't think it was possible…_ she sighs in irritation when she sees Sawamura fielding. It almost physically hurts her eyes. She rubs the bridge of her nose when his throw to the third base hits the runner. Again, it curves naturally, but it means nothing if he can't use the pitch to help the team.

All of a sudden, the coach raises his hand.

"Pitcher change. Furuya Satoru. Come up to the mound."

Yukari straightens in her seat. She has seen what Furuya can do in the bullpen once, but now she wants to see how he fares in a game. _Now… let's see what you've got._

Yukari watches as Furuya winds up. Her eyes widen at the speed of the ball flying towards home plate. She has always wanted to catch for amazing pitchers, but with Furuya, somehow she feels some kind of weight in her heart. The same weight she felt the first time she saw Sawamura's pitching form.

Yukari winces when the ball hits the umpire – the head coach – until his mask flies off. She sighs when the players around her start to panic. _His control is_ horrible _. He could be a hazard to other players. He's gonna need a good catcher to actually rein him in_ , Yukari thinks. _Could it be that the reason why he came to Seidou is because of_ him _?_

"You pass, Furuya," the coach says from his spot. Yukari can hear the smirk on his face, "You can practice with the first string starting tomorrow. Pitcher change!"

Yukari smirks as the second string players protest at the change.

"There's no first year who can catch his pitch," Kataoka says. Yukari nods in agreement as she eyes Miyuki who's still sitting in the bullpen at the side of the field, "Tanba, you're done, too. If you can pitch without being overwhelmed, you can do well at Koshien. Be more confident."

"Yes, sir!"

xXx

After Furuya entered the game, the first years start to gain momentum as they manage to shut down the second string player. Yukari reads her notes, and she figures that the coach might have gotten the results he wanted. But if Yukari has to be honest, she still wants to see more. She's not satisfied yet.

"We still have four innings left!" Yukari hears Sawamura shout. She looks at the first year's dugout and sees him batting, "We're not going down without a fight! I'll lead the way! Let's start by taking a run back!"

Yukari watches as Sawamura makes his way to the batter box. He bows at the catcher and the umpire and glares at the new pitcher – Nori. _Having guts is good, but we need to work on his manners_ , she thinks. Yukari massages the bridge of her nose in irritation when Sawamura fails to hit Nori's pitches. _What the hell is that batting…?_

But Yukari has to admit, he really does have guts. He steps towards the ball even when Nori pitches to the inside. Yukari nods in approval as Nori pitches his last ball. Again, Sawamura fails to hit it. She shakes her head. _This kid… can he do anything besides pitching? Not like his pitching skills are any good yet…_

"Don't give up! The catcher dropped the ball!"

Yukari frowns at the voice coming from the first year's dugout. She looks at the catcher – Miyauchi Keisuke, a third year – and sees that he really did drop the ball. Her eyes narrows even further when she sees a familiar colored head of hair. _…Ryou-nii? But his voice is different…_ Yukari's eyes widen as she remembers that Ryousuke has a little brother who is coming to Seidou. _So that's Ryou-nii's little brother, huh…?_

Sawamura runs towards first base as Miyauchi chases the ball.

"Run through!" Ryousuke's little brother shouts.

Yukari nods in approval as Sawamura manages to reach the first base before the ball does.

"SAFE!"

"Well, even though it's just an uncaught third strike, he still reached the base," Yukari says under her breath with a shrug. She smirks as she watches Nori throw the ball towards the first base. _Nori's focused today. Good._

After Sawamura gets on base, Yukari has to say that she is extremely disappointed that none of the first years are even trying to help Sawamura advance to next base. Yukari sighs in exasperation. _What kind of play is this?_ _So far, the only one who's playing to win is this idiot. If they're not gonna take this seriously, might as well get out of the team altogether._

All of a sudden, Furuya stands up and raises his hand low, "Excuse me. I don't have anything to do anymore. May I go train on my own?"

Yukari watches as Furuya ignores his fellow first years and leaves the dugout towards Miyuki in the bullpen. _What a 'my pace' type of guy… he could be troublesome without nobody to rein him in and make him a team player… with skills like that, I'm sure he was having trouble with his teammates back home_ ¸ Yukari thinks.

"Excuse me!"

Yukari looks towards the first year's dugout and sees Ryousuke's little brother.

"I'd like to call for a change of players!" the pink-haired kid says as he puts on his batting helmet, "I'm playing as the pinch hitter!"

Yukari frowns when she sees the first year walk towards the batter box with a wooden bat. _For someone as small as him?_ She then smirks. _Interesting._ She then flips through the data list she has on every first year player and tries to find a Kominato. _Oh, this is it. Kominato Haruichi, huh…?_ Her eyes widen. _Batting average in junior high was .635? Nice_ , she thinks with a smirk.

In the batter box, Haruichi makes a sign towards Sawamura. Yukari frowns. _When did they come up with that?_

"Wait! What's that?! What sign was that?!" Sawamura asks.

Yukari rolls her eyes. _They never did. That Sawamura kid's idiocy is on another level, I swear…_ she then looks at Haruichi. _But… he's way different from the other kids. As expected from Ryou-nii's little brother, I guess._ She has to bite down a smile when she sees the pink-haired first year blushing. _…Cute. I wonder if Ryou-nii mind if I take him in as a little brother._

"I'll definitely get you back home! Let's score a run together!"

Yukari almost squealed when she sees Haruichi go even redder after his words, but she manages to hold herself back. She then smirks. _Well then, otoutou-kun… let's see if you're not just all talk like that idiot on first base._

Before Nori pitches, Haruichi, who held his bat short earlier, changed his grip on the bat and manages to hit the outside pitch. Yukari can't hold back an excited grin this time. For the second string members who don't spend their time much with Yukari, the fact that she's smiling is a rare sight.

 _This is so exciting,_ Yukari thinks. She sees Sawamura running towards the second base as the ball Haruichi hit slides down the foul line, but doesn't cross it. _Good. He ran when the pitcher threw_ , she thinks as Sawamura passes second and third base, straight back home.

"Go!" Haruichi yells.

Sawamura then jumps towards the plate where Miyauchi is waiting for him with the ball to tag him out. Yukari's eyes widen as she watches Sawamura dodging Miyauchi's mitt and twisting his body to put his hand on the plate. _What flexibility…_

"SAFE!" Kataoka declares.

"I MADE IT!" Sawamura yells. He then returns to the dugout and the game continues.

At the bottom of sixth, the coach announces.

"Both teams, line up!"

Yukari can feel the disappointment in the air, coming mostly from the second string players.

"Wrap it up," Kataoka says, "Even if we keep playing, the gap will only get wider," he then proceeds to look at the first year players, "However… if everyone on the first year team wants to continue, it's a different story. Well?"

Yukari waits until they make their decision, with Sawamura trying to convince his fellow first years to continue. From what she can tell, they don't need much convincing. She tunes everyone out by wearing her earphones. Everyone knows not to disturb her when she has them on. She then proceeds to read the data she got from Rei about the players and the data she wrote based on the game.

 _The only people I can see going into the first string would be Sawamura and Haruichi, but even then, they're not up to scratch just yet. They've still got a long way to go, but at least it's not as bad as the other guys._

"Please let us continue the match, Kantoku!"

Yukari looks up from her data and takes her earphones off when she hears the first year players asking the coach to continue the match.

"…why couldn't you play like that from the start?" Kataoka asks the first years, "In high school baseball, you don't get a second chance," his words seem to affect the first years negatively, as they look like they're about to keel over, "Kid," Kataoka calls out Sawamura, "Starting this inning, you're pitching. Get on the mound. I've already gone through all the first year pitchers. If you want to keep playing, then you need to pitch."

 _Thank you, Kantoku. I really need more data on his pitching_ , Yukari thinks. She needs to be able to give all the first years a feedback according to the position they want to be in. So far, the only data she has on Sawamura is on his (nonexistent) outfielding skills and batting skills.

"Oi, oi, what's going on here?! What's with this turnout against the first years?! You should be up by 200 runs!"

Yukari turns to look at the other side of the field to find Jun, Yuuki, Youichi, and Ryousuke. She sighs in irritation. _The coach gave them a break for a reason; what's the point of having a break if they're just gonna use it to train? Training is good and all, but overtraining will make more work for me_ , she thinks as she stands up from her seat to walk towards them.

"Hyahahaha! Jun-san, that's impossible!" Youichi says.

"What an embarrassing game. Makes me sad," Ryousuke says simply, his smile never faltering.

"Switch with me! I'll play!" Jun says with Youichi holding him back.

"Jun-san, stop it! You just finished lifting! Ichikawa's gonna get mad at you!" Youichi says.

"I'm still gonna get mad at you," Yukari simply says as she reached the first string players. She holds back a smirk when she sees Jun and Youichi flinch in shock at her sudden entrance, "Why aren't any of you resting?" she asks.

"Huh?! How am I supposed to get better by resting?!" Jun asks as he practically gets in Yukari's face, separated only by the fence between them.

"Resting is also part of training. Overtraining will make all of you a pain for me. I explicitly told all of you to rest," Yukari then sighs, "But of course, none of you actually listens to me."

"You should know it by now, Yukari," Ryousuke says.

"That all of you are a bunch of workaholics? Yes, I know that already," Yukari says, "Well, don't get in the way of the game, Jun-san."

"WHO'S GETTING IN THE WAY, ICHIKAWA-TEME?!"

Yukari sighs, "Geez, Jun-san, you're so loud…" she says as she walks to sit beside Miyuki and Furuya in the bullpen – not without stealing the catcher's hat first. She slips her ponytailed red hair into the hat's hole. She can hear Miyuki sighing beside her, but she doesn't mind him.

"CHEEKY LITTLE–!"

"Jun-san, calm down!" Youichi says as he tightens his hold around Jun.

Yukari watches as the first year infielders crowd around Sawamura. By the time they're done with their meeting, the color of their faces doesn't look really good. She sighs. _He must've showed his idiot._ She frowns when she sees his pitching form. _It really does look like hers… but there are some differences. He's definitely more flexible than her, that's why his pitches naturally move at the plate._

The first pitch gets hit quite far, but the left-fielder manages to catch it. But Yukari saw the course of the pitch, and shakes her head incredulously. _Right in the middle? Is he looking down on his senpai or just plain dumb?_ She then takes a deep breath and exhales it harshly. _Let's see if you're all Rei-san cracked you up to be._

Sawamura manages to shut the first two batters out. When the third batter jams his pitch, the ball goes towards center, only to be stopped by Haruichi, who then throws the ball straight into the first baseman. Yukari smirks. _His play reminds me of Ryou-nii's. But… he might just be a little bit better than his older brother._

Thanks to Haruichi's save, the first year players manage to give up no runs to the second string in the inning.Yukari smirks as she sees the second string players flustered because of Sawamura's pitch. _If it suddenly moves at the plate, of course it would throw the batter off. They'd think they had it, but because it moves, they won't be able to hit it as well as they'd like to._

"…a moving fastball that curves right at the plate, huh? That's gonna be tough."

Yukari eyes Yuuki from the corner of her eyes with a smirk still on her face. _Of course he'd realize it. As expected from Tetsu-san._

"His pitch is only gonna get wilder from here," Miyuki says.

"What?" Jun growls.

Yukari watches as Sawamura seems to light up the first years. _He's surprisingly level-headed…_ she thinks as she writes down in her notebook. She suddenly hears Miyuki snickering beside her, and she tilts her head slightly to look at him.

"…what?"

"Nothing. You seem to be taken with that kid," Miyuki says, "You've got just as much good things to say about him as the bad things."

"…he's interesting," Yukari says simply.

"…he is, isn't he?" Miyuki agrees. Yukari can tell that he's still curious about what happened six months ago when she suddenly left the practice after seeing Sawamura's pitch, but she doesn't say anything. She knows that he knows that she'll tell him when she wants to.

"Miyuki, you can read her chicken scratch?" Youichi asks incredulously. In return, Yukari grabs his leg and presses her sharp nails against it, waiting for him to yelp in pain before pulling her hand away. She ignores him when he says, "Ichikawa, you devil!"

The game continues, and now it's time for the second string players to be on the offense again. Yukari watches as Masuko comes to talk to Sawamura. Youichi laughs from beside her.

"This is gonna be good! A roommate battle!" Youichi says. He then turns to ask Yukari, "How's Masuko-san been doing this game, Ichikawa?"

"Really well," Yukari answers, "Three hits and six RBIs. He's doing his best to return to the first string."

"I'm sure he's noticed what Sawamura's pitch is," Miyuki says, "Should be a good match to really see Sawamura's ability."

Yukari watches as Sawamura winds up. Her eyes follow the ball, and she frowns a little when the catcher missed his pitch, but then nods in understanding. _Sawamura's pitch seems to move a little bit more now._ She watches as Masuko adjusts his grip on his bat and steps aside to stand at the front of the batter box. She smirks. _As expected from Masuko-san. He's found out already about the moving ball, so he'll try to hit it_ before _it moves._

Sawamura pitches and the ball is hit by Masuko, but it's a foul.

"As expected from a former fifth batter. He could destroy the fence like that," Jun says.

"He hits hard even when he holds the bat short," Ryousuke says.

Yukari watches as Sawamura gapes in shock. _Now… what will you do? Masuko-san is smarter than Azuma-san; he won't hit everything you throw at him._ Sawamura winds up again, and she can see the catcher panicking. _Not only Furuya, but Sawamura also needs a good catcher who has authority and brains to rein him in_ , she thinks, as she silently eyes Miyuki from the corner of her eyes.

The ball is pitched, and Masuko lets out a growl as he hits the ball hard – Yukari swears his eyes are shining with determination. The ball flies until it hits the fence near the scoreboard; a home run. She knows that Masuko jammed the ball, but with his sheer strength, he still managed to hit it towards the fence.

"The pitcher completely lost the battle of power," Jun comments, "I bet he's taken quite a bit of damage from that."

… _does he, though?_ Yukari wonders as she eyes Sawamura. She shakes her head with a small laugh when she sees him lifting his face with a bright smile on his face. _He really is something else_ , she thinks as she underlines ' _Surprisingly level-headed_ ' twice in her notebook. Miyuki laughs in glee.

"Alright! Let's switch gears and do this again!" Sawamura shouts. Yukari smirks at him. _Incredible. After being utterly defeated, instead of getting depressed, he gets more excited to pitch. He really is like a chick that just discovered the fun of baseball._


	4. Chapter 4

In the end, the second string players – unsurprisingly – won the match with a score of 20-1. Before giving the feedback to the players, Yukari reports her findings to Kataoka, Rei, and Oota. After that, she gives her feedback to the second string players. She gets the honor of telling Masuko that he's back on the starting roster. While giving feedback to the first years, she can see and feel glares coming from some of the prouder first year players, but as usual, she ignores them. After she's done, she retreats to her room.

After taking a long, hot bath, Yukari ties her hair up as she walks towards the cafeteria. Along the way, she sees Haruichi with his head down, and Ryousuke's retreating back. _Ryou-nii must have said something to him…_ she silently approaches the younger Kominato, and pats his back. The pink-haired boy jumps a little, but gives her a small smile.

"I-Ichikawa-senpai, you've worked hard," Haruichi says.

"Great work today. Haruichi, right?" Yukari asks, even though she already knows it. Haruichi nods, "Mind if I call you Haru-kun?" To her amusement, Haruichi blushes, but he ultimately nods, "I'm actually pretty close to your brother."

"Y-Yeah… sometimes Aniki tells me stories about you," Haruichi says as he repositions the cans of drinks in his hands.

Yukari smirks, "Heeh? What did he tell you about me?"

"N-Nothing bad, I swear!"

"Well, whatever he said, it's probably the truth. He's not one to tell lies after all," Yukari says, "Earlier, Ryou-nii said something to you, didn't he?" when Haruichi doesn't answer her and avoids her eyes, she sighs, "…whatever he said, no matter how he said it, must be for your own good," she pats Haruichi's head, "If you have any trouble, you can come find me. I'm not trying to replace Ryou-nii, but he's not exactly the best person to ask an advice from."

Haruichi is still for a moment, until he nods, "Thank you, Ichikawa-senpai."

"Oh, right. You call Ryou-nii 'Aniki', don't you?" Yukari smirks teasingly when Haruichi nods, "You can call me Aneki, you know."

Haruichi jumps. It amuses Yukari to no end when she sees him blush so hard, "Eh?! There's no way I can–!"

"I insist. If you don't want to call me that, then don't talk to me. Simple as that," Yukari says with a smirk, "Hurry up and get those drinks to your senpai. Some of them can get a little bit annoying when their kouhai is too slow," she says as she ruffles Haruichi's hair and walks towards the cafeteria.

After dinner, Yukari makes her rounds around the indoor practice building to see if there's anyone who's still practicing. To her surprise, she finds Miyuki and Furuya.

"Both of you, have you eaten yet?" Yukari asks as she approaches Miyuki. When she reaches him, she nonchalantly takes his hat and puts it on her head, pulling her ponytail through the hat's hole.

Miyuki sighs, but doesn't protest, "Good evening, Yuka-chan," Miyuki says, "I have. Have you, Furuya?"

"…I have."

"Are you going to catch for him now?" Yukari asks Miyuki.

"Yeah, he insisted," Miyuki says as he smirks at Furuya.

"I… came to Seidou to find the place where I belong," Furuya says. Yukari and Miyuki eye Furuya.

"…if you don't mind, can I catch for you too, Furuya?" Yukari asks as she proceeds to go find a catching glove and mitt for her right hand. Not only Furuya, but Miyuki also looks shocked at Yukari's request. The catcher smirks.

"What's this? A catcher's curiosity?" Miyuki asks.

"You can say that," Yukari says as she puts her glove on and her mitt over it.

"…Ichikawa-senpai, are you a catcher too?" Furuya asks.

"I was. I haven't played in a long while, though," Yukari answers, "So? Do you mind if I catch for you?"

"N-No…"

"Good. Go ahead and start."

Furuya nods and he winds up, and then he says, "Please don't disappoint me… Miyuki-senpai."

Yukari and Miyuki's eyes widen at his words, but then she smirks and he laughs.

"Very funny! I like you!" Miyuki says as he crouches and extends his catching arm, ready to catch his pitch. Yukari then stands behind Miyuki to see his pitch.

xXx

During practice the next day, people can feel a colder aura emit from Yukari. It's no secret that she has never liked the principal and vice-principal. She doesn't like the fact that they doubted Kataoka's coaching and looked down on her the first time she came into the school as an assistant scout – simply because she was only a first year junior high school _female_ student. Aside from giving her mandatory greetings, she keeps her distance from the principal and the vice-principal, as she's afraid of what she might do to them should she lose control.

Before going into practice, Yukari was informed by Rei about the coach's decision to debut Furuya in the Kanto tournament, and to leave Sawamura in Chris' hands. Her eyes widened at the mention of the third year catcher, but she nodded at her decision anyway. She knows that Miyuki might have his hands full with Furuya. If there's anyone else who can rein Sawamura in, third year Takigawa Chris Yuu is her biggest bet.

Yukari walks back and forth between Fields A and B and the bullpen. Field A is used by the first string for scrimmage practices, and Field B is used by the first years – even Furuya, who's already in the first string – for circuits and running, and the second string players.

When Yukari spots a certain third year catcher coming into the field, she smiles slightly. She approaches her upperclassman and bows at him.

"Good afternoon, Chris-senpai," Yukari says.

"Good afternoon, Ichikawa," Chris simply says.

"Ah, Chris-kun. Yukari-chan. Good timing," Rei says, "Yukari-chan, please call Furuya and Sawamura over."

"I understand," Yukari says as she goes to the viewer's box and uses the PA system to call Furuya and Sawamura to the Field A bench. She then joins Chris and Miyuki, who are already in catcher gear with Rei. Not long after, Furuya and Sawamura come.

"You two will be given the pitcher training menu starting today. You'll have twice as much work to do than everyone else, but good luck," Rei says. Furuya still has his poker face on, but Sawamura doesn't hold back in showing his excitement, "Furuya-kun, you might be pitching in next week's Kanto tournament, so practice your pickoff plays and signs with Miyuki-kun."

"Okay," Furuya answers, much to Sawamura's shock.

"Rei-chan, he has power, but his control is trash," Miyuki says, "Right, Yuka-chan?"

Yukari doesn't turn to look at Miyuki, but fixes her stare at Furuya, "…yeah," she ultimately says. She knows Miyuki is looking at her weirdly, but she ignores him and he continues.

"Also, he'll have to throw 100 pitches every day to build endurance."

"Oh, you've already been catching his pitch? Not only Miyuki-kun, but Yukari-chan as well?" Rei asks, looking a little bit taken aback. Miyuki smirks and Yukari nods. Sawamura looks like he has something to say, but his shock prevents him to do so.

"I… will do as Miyuki-senpai and Ichikawa-senpai instructs me to do."

Yukari remembers last night when she saw and caught Furuya's pitch.

 _Furuya winds up and throws his pitch. Miyuki easily catches the pitch, much to Furuya's shock. But Yukari can tell that he wasn't using his best pitch._

" _What's wrong?" Miyuki asks, "You're the one who dragged me out here. Don't hold back. Throw with everything you've got!" he says as he throws the ball back to Furuya._

 _Again, Furuya winds up, and the ball hits Miyuki's mitt smoothly. Yukari's eyes widen at the sheer sound of the ball hitting Miyuki's mitt. She clicks her tongue._

Geez… what is wrong with this year's first year pitchers? Is the universe playing a joke on me? _Yukari wonders with a frown._

" _Yuka-chan, wanna trade?" Miyuki asks as he stands up. Yukari nods wordlessly. She crouches and hits her mitt with her left fist before extending her right hand. Furuya winds up again, and throws the ball. When the ball hits her mitt smoothly, Furuya seems to be even more shocked than when his ball was caught by Miyuki._ Is he shocked because I – a girl – can catch his difficult pitch? If only he knew…

 _Yukari bites her lower lip as she feels the ball in her mitt; not out of pain, at least not physical. The feel and the sound of the ball hitting her mitt… everything reminds her of a bittersweet memory._

No, Yukari. This is different. He's not her. His fastball is faster than hers, and the ball is much harder than that time, _Yukari thinks. She squeezes her eyes shut and throws the ball back at Furuya, "…I'm leaving after two more."_

"… _eh? But…"_

" _You can have your fun with him," Yukari motions towards Miyuki, "After all, he's the reason why you came to Seidou, right? For your pitches to be caught by the talented catcher, Miyuki Kazuya?"_

 _Furuya's eyes widen._ Bingo _, Yukari thinks._

" _Then I don't have to be here. Two more pitches, and I'm done. I'll get all the data that I need," Yukari says as she crouches again, "Don't hold back just because I'm a girl."_

"… _I understand," Furuya says before winding up again._

"Please take care of me," Furuya says as he bows not only towards Miyuki, but also Yukari.

"What's this? You're being so obedient," Miyuki says.

"I figure I should start being humble," Furuya says.

Miyuki laughs, "This guy!"

"Sawamura-kun, you'll be working with Chris-kun, a third year," Rei says, seemingly ignoring Sawamura who is still in shock at Furuya and Miyuki's closeness, "Have him teach you about how to act and lead on the field."

Chris extends his hand towards Sawamura for a handshake, but is ignored by Sawamura, "Wait! This isn't fair! I want to pair up with Miyuki-senpai, too!"

Yukari sees Chris narrowing his eyes before forcefully taking Sawamura's hand, "…what a coincidence," the third year says, "I don't want to pair with you either," Sawamura lifts his head to look at Chris, "I'm Takigawa Chris Yuu. Nice to meet you, loser pitcher."

Yukari can smell a _swell_ relationship in the future. Ignore her sarcasm.

xXx

After practice has ended, Yukari goes to the viewer's box for her usual after-practice report with Kataoka, Rei, and Oota. After she's done, she helps the managers clean the field up and gets changed back to her school uniform. After getting changed, she frowns when she can still hear the sound of ball hitting a mitt from the indoor practice building. She sighs as she approaches the building.

"You're still here?" Yukari asks.

"Yuka-chan!" Miyuki says as he bounds up towards Yukari like a puppy dog, "Great work today!"

"Great work today," Yukari says, as she steals Miyuki's hat as per usual and puts it on her head, pulling her ponytail through the hat's hole.

"Yuka-chan, have you ever considered buying your own hat and wearing it?" Miyuki asks exasperatedly.

"Why would I, when you have an extensive collection already? That's just a waste of money," Yukari simply says.

"That's not the point," Miyuki sighs, "I wish you'd stop stealing my hats."

"It's your fault for buying hats that are up to my tastes," Yukari says.

"The two of you… seem pretty close," Furuya says.

"You think so?" Yukari asks, "Anyways, everyone's already done. Wrap this up soon," she says.

"Yuka-chan's right. Let's call it a day here. You're throwing too much. If you keep this pace up, you won't last until summer," Miyuki says, "And you'll be a burden to Yuka-chan."

"Can we continue a little bit longer?" Furuya requests, "Please?"

Yukari crosses her arms in front of her chest as she narrows her eyes at Furuya, "Fine. Five more and you're done."

"Ten."

"Seven. That's final."

"Okay. Thank you, Ichikawa-senpai."

Yukari sighs, "Don't push yourself too hard. You're just gonna make more work for me," she says as she leaves the building.

"Give me my hat back, Yuka-chan!" Miyuki shouts. Yukari pulls the hat off her head and throws it straight into Miyuki's face. She then turns back around and walks towards her room.

xXx

It's the day of the first match of Kanto Tournament. Seidou High School is up against Yokohama Academy from Kanagawa. So far, Seidou is behind by four runs, and Yukari can't help but frown. Up until the sixth inning, Tanba was pitching pretty well, until everything went downhill. Yokohama managed to get used to his pitches and cracked him by the seventh. It is now top of the eighth, and she silently watches as Furuya takes Tanba's place in the mound.

Yukari simply smirks when the batter couldn't hit Furuya's pitch. But then she frowns again at the course of his pitch. _His pitch is so fast that it intimidates the batters, but his control is_ disgusting, she sighs. _But I guess it's a good thing that his control is way off_. _The batters don't know where he's throwing._

"Furuya's pitching very freely today," Oota says. (" _Too_ freely for my liking," Yukari says under her breath) "Those two will make a good battery."

Furuya then manages six strikeouts in a row, and as the players approach the dugout for the change, he gets pummeled by Ryousuke and Youichi.

"Let's turn this game around!" Tetsu shouts.

"YEAH!"

In the end, Seidou lost by one run, but not without putting up a fight. At the very least, the other schools now know that Seidou has a new first year pitcher and what he's capable of doing.

xXx

"Rei-san, you called for me?" Yukari asks as she enters the viewer's box, where Rei is sitting.

"Oh, Yukari-chan, you're here," Rei says as she motions Yukari to come closer, "I wanted your opinion on Sawamura-kun."

"Your golden boy, huh…?" Yukari asks under her breath, but in the silence of the viewer's box, Rei can hear her clearly, "…I understand why you picked him, but he's like a chick that just learned how to play baseball. He's got a lot to learn."

"I think that's precisely why he's paired up with Chris-kun," Rei says, "Not only because Chris-kun can teach him a lot of things, but I think Chris-kun also can learn a thing or two from Sawamura-kun's enthusiasm… to gain his spirit back."

Yukari nods.

"…and what do you think of his form?"

Yukari flinches at Rei's question, but doesn't answer.

"I need you to know that I didn't take him here to spite you, Yukari-chan. I knew I recognized his form, but there are small differences between his and…"

"I know, Rei-san. You don't have to defend yourself. I could tell that Sawamura and Kaori-nee are two different pitchers with similar forms. He's more flexible than her; that's his signature. Not to mention, his repertoire and ball control are far more inferior to hers," Yukari cuts Rei off. She turns to look at the scout, "And I'm not mad at you. I just wasn't expecting it," she says before sighing, "Is that all?"

"Wait," Rei says, a second before the door to the viewer's box is knocked, "Come in," she says. Sawamura enters the viewer's box, and then, for some reason, he sits seiza before Rei. The scout eyes Yukari, silently telling her not to leave yet, "How was it? You said you don't even watch professional baseball, but have you figured out that watching is a good way to learn? Baseball is a sport played by nine people. It's not just hitting, running, and defending. There are lots of things to do. I teamed you up with Chris-kun so you could figure that out sooner. Is he teaching you well?"

Sawamura's face blatantly shows his anger.

"In the next scrimmage, I want to let you play, but from what I'm seeing, that might not be possible. Right, Yukari-chan?" Rei asks Yukari, who nods.

"Not even close," Yukari says. She ignores Sawamura's glare at her.

"Rei-chan! I'd like to see the scorebook from yesterday's game…" Miyuki says as he enters the room, before he realizes where Sawamura is. Sawamura freezes and covers his face from Miyuki.

"Don't look! Don't look at me!" Sawamura yells. Miyuki laughs.

"You're the best!" Miyuki says as he laughs. Yukari silently hands him the scorebook and puts her hand on the bill of his baseball cap. She smirks when he flinches, but she only moves the bill so that it's turned to his right, making him sigh in relief. He sits on an empty chair and reads the scorebook, Yukari reading it from over his shoulder.

"Did I pick the wrong partner?" Rei wonders out loud, "He's not working well with Chris-kun."

"Well, he's not someone who opens his heart to others easily now," Miyuki says without looking away from the scorebook.

"Sawamura-kun, you may not know, but he's the most knowledgeable about baseball on our team. He also has a knack for discovering players' potentials," Rei explains.

"…even if you tell me that, he hardly has motivation!" Sawamura says angrily. Miyuki and Yukari take their eyes off the scorebook to look at Sawamura, "He left practice early today, too."

"Oi, oi. That's–"

"I!" Sawamura says, cutting Miyuki off, "I want to pair up with you!" Yukari frowns a little at the sudden confession, "I still can't forget that sound. That sound I heard the first time I came to this school. In that last game, I was trying to throw as close to that moment as I could."

 _Is that why he was only throwing his best pitch…?_ Yukari wonders. Miyuki stands up from his seat and kneels in front of Sawamura.

"Well, don't be so impatient. If you do as he says, you'll definitely be able to improve," Miyuki says.

"No way! I don't want to pair up with someone so unmotivated!" Yukari narrows her eyes at Sawamura's impertinence. _This little bastard… what gives him the right to speak like that about Chris-senpai? He doesn't even know anything…_ Yukari thinks angrily, "Why is he still on the team? If he doesn't like to practice, he should just quit."

Yukari unconsciously takes one step forward, but before she could do or say anything to Sawamura, Miyuki already has the first year against the wall by the scruff of his neck.

"Everyone understands that you want to get better. Especially after the trials," Miyuki growls lowly in a rare display of anger, "But what you said just now… I can't let slide."

Rei gets up from her seat, "Miyuki-kun…"

Miyuki clicks his tongue, "Ruined my good mood," he then takes the scorebook from the table, "Rei-chan, I'm borrowing this."

"Sure…" Rei says.

"Yuka-chan, I'll see you later," Miyuki says.

"Yeah, sure," Yukari simply says as they all watch Miyuki leave the room. When the door closes behind him, she turns to look at Sawamura, who is still leaning against the wall with a shocked look on his face.

Yukari sighs as she pinches the bridge of her nose, "He beat me to it, huh…?" Sawamura then turns to look at her, "You need to keep your mouth in check, kid. Don't talk as if you know anything about Chris-senpai," she then kneels in front of Sawamura and looks at him straight in his eyes, "He is an irreplaceable member of the team. Do forgive him for wanting to make you into a better player," she says before she stands back up, "Rei-san, you don't need me anymore, right? I'm returning to the field."

"…yes, go ahead," Rei says before Yukari leaves the viewer's box.


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so sorry I didn't post anything yesterday : ( I was out of my house for the whole day yesterday and didn't bring my laptop with me, so I couldn't post. As an apology, I will post chapters 5 and 6 today : )**

* * *

The next day, Yukari can see the change in Sawamura's behavior around Chris. He's not as hostile; in fact, he looks like a little puppy who tries to get its owner's attention. Something must've happened between after Miyuki and Yukari confronted him about Chris and now. There's just no way would Sawamura change his tune just because Miyuki and Yukari got mad at him.

On breakfast time, Sawamura uncharacteristically offered to help the cafeteria auntie in Yukari's place, which Yukari and the cafeteria auntie didn't mind. Yukari rolled her eyes when she saw the amount of food Sawamura gave Chris. Before and after practice, and in the third years' hallway, according to Jun's stories, Sawamura would respectfully greet Chris, which in turn was ignored by the third year catcher. From what she heard from Ryousuke, Sawamura even bugged Chris in the bathroom and toilet; which is just a little bit too much information for her.

It's quite unnerving to see Sawamura kindly requesting Yukari and Rei to watch the first string practice instead of loudly asking to be involved in it, but neither of them comments on it.

"Rei-san…" Yukari starts, "Did something happen between him and Chris-senpai?"

Rei smirks at Yukari's question and tells her that she took Sawamura to see Chris when he was in therapy with his father. She also mentions that he apologized to Chris for not knowing anything and blatantly requested for him to teach him baseball.

 _Well, if he realizes what he's lacking by himself, then that's less work for us_ , Yukari thinks.

xXx

During a double practice match, Yukari is sent to oversee the second string's match against Komashiro High School instead of watching the first string's match against Teito High School. But since she's the only trainer around, she still has to go back and forth from one field to the other in case someone gets injured.

Yukari watches from the dugout as the catcher – Ono Hiroshi, second year – converses with Sawamura, and then the game begins. When the first pitch is hit, she frowns. _That's different from usual. It's less powerful than his usual pitches_ , she thinks. _Is he thinking too much about his control? It's no use; his control's just as good as Furuya's, which is not at all. It's not like his control's gonna get better in such a short time._

And it keeps happening. Sawamura's pitches keep getting hit by batter after batter. Ono calls for a timeout, and Yukari narrows her eyes when Maezono takes Sawamura by the collar of his uniform.

"I think it's best if we change the pitcher now, Rei-san. This is not looking good," Yukari says.

"I agree," Rei says, "Sawamura-kun," she calls out from behind Yukari, "Pitcher change. Get off the mound, right now."

They ignore Sawamura's reluctance to leave the mound and change the pitcher. Yukari lets him sit beside Chris, and she nods at the third year, signaling that she's leaving the first year pitcher to him. It's the bottom of the second and they're behind by five runs.

"Excuse me, Ichikawa," Yukari turns around to see a coach, "We need you on Field A. Furuya injured himself."

"Did he, now?" Yukari says with a sigh. She looks at Rei, who nods, and stands up, "Okay."

Yukari follows the coach towards Field A with her messenger bag on. On the dugout, she sees Furuya sitting with an expression akin to a pout on his face, his left hand pressing a towel to his right.

"Ichikawa!" Oota says. Yukari nods at him and the head coach in greeting.

"What's wrong?" Yukari asks. Furuya simply opens the towel to reveal his right hand. She takes his hand and frowns when she sees blood on the tip of his pointer finger. _He split his fingernail... is this because of his pitching?_

"…keep pressing that towel to your finger. Wait here," Yukari says as she leaves the dugout in search for some things she can clean his wound with. Thanks to her fast legs, she returns not long after. She then proceeds to clean the wound, "How much does it hurt?" she asks.

"…not really," Furuya says without looking at her.

"Don't lie just because you wanna get back on the mound, because that's not happening. Now, tell me how much it hurts."

Furuya sighs, but ultimately says, "…it hurts a lot."

"Of course it does," Yukari says as she continues treating his injury, "Split fingernails are nothing to be scoffed at. You're a pitcher; your fingertips are your life. You should take care of them better," she scolds him, "I don't want you pitching for at least a week."

"…Kantoku banned me from throwing for two weeks," Furuya says with almost a pout, "And he said I can run in the second string practice field."

"Good. That's a suitable punishment," Yukari says as she bandages Furuya's finger, "We still need a doctor to take a look at this. Oota-buchou," Yukari calls out.

"What is it, Ichikawa?"

"Do you mind driving us to a hospital after the matches are done? I want to get Furuya's hand checked out," Yukari requests.

"Sure! Meet me at the gate; I'll bring the car around later."

"You heard him," Yukari says to Furuya as she stands up and shoulders her bag, "Well, I'm returning to the other field. Thank you, Oota-buchou," she says as she nods at Oota and Kataoka and leaves the dugout to return to Field B.

xXx

Yukari loves stargazing. She loves the idea of just getting lost in the beauty of the night sky and letting herself go. When the sky is cloudless, she likes to go to the slope beside the baseball field and just sit or lay there while looking at the skies. After practice one day, she notices the sky has been quite friendly, so she decides to stargaze that night.

But unfortunately, her stargazing night doesn't go as quietly as she hoped it would be.

From her spot on the slope, Yukari can hear the sound of balls hitting the walls of the field, courtesy of Sawamura. She sighs, but doesn't find the energy in her to actually go down to the field and tell him to get some rest. Maybe it's not very trainer-like of her, but she just can't find it in her. Fortunately, the head coach approaches him and quite possibly tells him to stop – Yukari can't hear them from where she is. She frowns when Sawamura bows low at Kataoka.

Yukari watches as Kataoka teaches Sawamura to do the towel drills. She saw Kataoka telling another pitcher how to do that drill on her second year as Seidou's manager. She nods in admiration. _I expect nothing less from Kataoka-kantoku. That's the perfect training for him right now_ , she thinks. But she honestly couldn't hold back a scoff of laughter when Sawamura's towel hit the coach in the face.

"I'm sorry! That was an accident! It wasn't on purpose!" Yukari hears Sawamura shout. She shakes her head before standing up. Stargazing can wait for another, quieter night.

xXx

It's the practice match between Seidou High School's second string against Kokudokan High School. This match will determine the two people in the second string who will move up to the first string. Today, not only the alumni and some locals, but even some of the students come to watch.

"Both teams, line up!"

All the players from both schools run to the middle of the field and line up facing each other.

"Bow!"

"Let's have a good game!"

The Kokudokan players return to their dugout while the Seidou players take their place in the field. Yukari then sits on the bench next to the head coach, with Chris standing near her.

"Alright! I'll send these balls flying, so the rest is up to you!" Sawamura shouts at the fielders.

"W-What did you say?!"

"Play ball!"

Yukari watches Sawamura carefully. She wonders if the things Chris and Kataoka tell him will bear fruit in this match. As Sawamura winds up, Yukari starts to draw a stick-figure of Sawamura's form in her notebook. He throws the ball, only for it to fly towards the backstop, much to Kokudokan players' amusement.

"T-That pitching form…" Rei says with her eyes wide.

Yukari shakes her head with a scoff. _I can't believe he can get a great base of a powerful weapon in such a short time. By creating a wall with his right hand, he's keeping his body closed, so his left arm comes out much later than normal. Because his body is flexible, he won't hurt himself using such a tight form_ , she thinks with a smirk. _Sawamura… you really are interesting._

On the next pitch, Ono can't catch it and it hits his chest protector. Again on the next pitch. The first batter is then walked to the first base. Sawamura then hits the second batter. The Kokudokan players start to mock Sawamura's pitching.

 _No,_ Yukari thinks. _It's not that Sawamura can't pitch to the catcher's mitt…_ her eyes fall on Ono, who scrambles to try and catch Sawamura's pitch. _It's the catcher who can't keep up with his pitching. If we don't sub Hiroshi-kun out, Sawamura will be useless. But the only one who can replace Hiroshi-kun is Chris-senpai, who's already used to his pitches. The question is, would he be willing to?_

"What should we do, Kantoku?" Rei asks, "His speed has definitely increased, but it may be too soon for his new style to be used in a game. He hasn't gotten any results, but he's definitely shown us his potential for the future."

Yukari bites her lower lip as she waits for the coach's decision.

"He…" Yukari turns to look at Chris, "He's thinking on his own and is trying to grasp something in this game. Please let him pitch a little more."

"Chris-kun…"

 _I never expected Chris-senpai to protect Sawamura like this…_ Yukari thinks. She then turns her attention towards the coach who is still silent.

"Is this just the beginning?" Kataoka asks, "Or is this the limit of his talent? From a small hint, he figured out his own way, and his talent blossomed. I've seen many players who've done so in the past. For the past two months, he's pulled tires running every day. He has a tough heart and never gave up pursuing his goal. Those who improve do so in an instant."

His words echo in the dugout.

"Chris," Kataoka says, "You've been catching his pitches this past month," he says. Yukari's eyes widen. _Don't tell me…_ she looks at Kataoka, waiting for him to finish what he has to say, "Can you help him make the most of his strength?"

"W-What are you saying, Kataoka-kantoku? He hasn't played for a year due to his shoulder injury, and what about the others who've worked much harder?" Oota protests.

"It's true that I asked him to stay with us as a manager, but he's never given up his desire to play on the field again. Even if that meant he would be treated as an outcast," Kataoka eyes Chris' trembling back, "This is the last chance I can give you. It's up to you to play or not," Yukari looks at Chris' back expectantly, "But you know, he's waiting for you on the mound."

Yukari bites her lower lip when the crowd starts to chant for Sawamura to be taken off the mound.

"Put on your guards," a third year player sitting on the back bench says. Chris turns and looks at them in shock, "The coach just gave you a chance. Or are you feeling sorry for us? If you are, we'll kick your ass. I don't know what the first and second years think of you, but we know how hard you've been working. Whenever we were in a slump, you even gave us advice," he extends a hand with a mitt towards Chris, "You're also part of this team. So go out there with your head held high!"

"Yeah, go out there, man. Show the ignorant first years what you can do."

Yukari stands up and walks towards where they keep their equipment and takes a chest protector Chris would wear in practice. She taps the edge of the protector against his side to gain his attention, "Here you go," she says simply. Chris takes the mitt from his fellow third year and the protector from Yukari, and bows.

"You guys…"

"Get in gear," Yukari says, "I'll help you."

Chris nods and Yukari sets out to help him get in his gear, paying close attention to him should he show any kind of pain from his shoulder. While she's helping him, Kataoka steps out of the dugout and raises his hand.

"Calling for a change in players," the head coach says.

"Okay. You're good," Yukari says as she pats Chris' back, "Good luck."

"Thank you, Ichikawa," Chris says as he steps out of the dugout. Yukari has to stop for a while because she thought she was seeing wrong. But she wasn't. The light in Chris' eyes is back.

"Switching out the catcher, Ono for Takigawa!"

Yukari returns to her seat and watches with a proud smile as Chris approaches the huddle on the mound. Hiroshi then returns to the dugout and takes his gear off. She watches as Chris calls the outfielders over and the players cover their mouths with their gloves so no one can tell what they're talking about. After the players return to their respective places, she smirks when she sees them playing the infield in.

 _Interesting… he still got it_ , Yukari thinks with glee. It's been a while since she saw Chris play, and it still makes her excited because he's a risk-taking player, just like her and Miyuki. _So this is how you'd like to make use of Sawamura's strength, huh, Chris-senpai…? Very interesting._

"Kantoku… this shift…" Oota says, "It's the top of the first inning! Shouldn't we give up a run and aim for a double play?"

The head coach only smirks, "I don't care. I left Chris in charge."

"Eh?! Kantoku…"

"Oota-buchou, how long have you been watching Chris-senpai play? His plays are some of the most interesting and exciting ones I've ever watched. Just trust him," Yukari says. _It's risky, but it's logical. It would deal a huge impact on either team's mental, should it go either way. Let's see how it goes._

Sawamura winds up and throws the ball. Chris taps the ball forward and manages to catch it. He glares at the runner who's trying to run back home. Yukari smirks when the runner stops in his tracks.

For the second pitch, Sawamura throws his fastball down the middle. The batter only tips it, and the runners move. Sawamura tries to catch the flying ball, but couldn't reach it. Suddenly Haruichi jumps and catches the ball, and then he throws it straight back home.

"Out!"

Chris then throws the ball towards first base, which is covered by the right fielder; a perfect 4-2-9 double play at the plate. Yukari can't help but let an excited smile out. She is also very much amused by the blush that is painting Haruichi's cheeks.

 _Oh, he would be_ so _gutted if he missed this_ … Yukari thinks, her mind jumping towards a certain catcher who shares her respect for Chris.

"C-Could it be that Chris was aiming for this from the start?" Oota wonders in amazement, "Well, he got lucky there, but what if the ball had gone over?"

"By provoking the batter with a super close-up shift, he strained the batter, and then planted Sawamura's new pitching trajectory. Then the moving fastball down the middle. Chris set layers of trap down. And the fielders responded with their best plays. It was, by no means, pure luck," Kataoka firmly says.

Chris then outs the runner on third base, who was too focused on scoring.

 _Incredible…_ Yukari thinks in adoration. _I can't believe he hasn't been playing for over a year. It's almost like he never injured his shoulder at all._

The match continues, and Yukari honestly can't be more satisfied. Their defense is perfect, thanks to Chris. When they're up for offense, they put up an incredible fight. When the Seidou batters are up, Chris takes Sawamura to the bullpen to work on his form. She decides to follow them to the bullpen. When they stop midway, she frowns and catches up to them. Then, she hears a familiar laughter.

"What you gain in practice isn't at all like what you gain in games. Make sure you learn well, Sawamura," Yukari sees Miyuki leaning against the wall of the dugout, and she smirks.

"I was thinking just that it would be a shame if you missed this," Yukari says. Miyuki smirks at her.

"It's a good thing I'm a pretty decent runner, then."

"I… I'm in the middle of a game, so…" Sawamura says awkwardly.

"Teme!"

"What's with that attitude?" Yukari asks with a frown.

"Miyuki. You should join us at the bullpen," Chris says, "As the primary catcher, you should take a look at his pitch."

"I agree," Yukari says as she smirks at Miyuki, "You might get to see something interesting."


	6. Chapter 6

**This is the second part of a double-chapter! If you haven't checked out chapter 5, please go to the previous chapter : )**

* * *

Yukari prides herself in her multi-tasking skills. She's confident she can still get more data on Sawamura's pitching in the bullpen and get data on the players on the diamond at the same time. She leans against the fence of the bullpen lightly as she watches the match while her ears are listening to the boys in the bullpen.

 _Oh, Haru-kun is on second base. Nice job_ , Yukari thinks.

"Sawamura," Chris starts, "In your new form, what do you think about when you throw? Or even what you feel. Tell me anything."

Yukari opens the page where she sketched Sawamura's form earlier and listens in on the conversation. She studies the sketch, then she starts drawing a new one.

"What do I think? I guess the right hand wall?" Sawamura says, "But I didn't know how to build the wall, so…" Sawamura extends his gloved hand and clenches it, "I've been clenching my glove like this when I throw. When I tried it, it somehow worked."

"I see," Chris says. Yukari nods as she listens in, "That makes sense. By being conscious of your right hand, you're able to keep your body closed and increase your ball speed. However, you're too focused on the wall, and your right foot is turned in."

"He's right," Yukari says as she finishes her new sketch. She shows her sketch to the boys, "Your body was like this…" she points at her first sketch of Sawamura's form, "…while it should be like this," she points at another sketch of Sawamura's form she just finished, in which his right foot is pointed towards the plate. She ignores Sawamura's praise about her sketch, "If your body gets used to it, you might be able to start throwing strikes."

"Yes, but it won't give you any ball control right away," Chris says, "Now you need to do just like Ichikawa drew. While focusing on the right hand wall, try to lunge with your right foot pointed straight to the plate."

Sawamura nods and walks towards the bullpen's mound. Miyuki moves so he's standing behind Chris and Yukari stays where she is, leaning against the fence, her pencil at the ready on her right hand. Chris wears his helmet and crouches, "We have no time. Throw as many as you can," Chris puts his mask on and says, "Watch closely, Miyuki."

Sawamura winds up, and Yukari's right hand starts sketching. When she can see clearly the ball's path, she opens another page and sketches the ball's trajectory. The ball is then caught by Chris.

"Whoa, it's in!" Sawamura exclaims.

"No, it's almost a ball," Chris says.

 _But it's caught_ , Yukari thinks as she puts the pencil on her right ear. She notices that it's time to change, and she tells Chris and Sawamura that. Miyuki taps her on her shoulder and walks out of the bullpen towards where the other first string players are. She then returns to the dugout.

It's one out and runners on first and second. Seidou managed to score with a sacrifice fly and a hit, but they're in another pinch. Evidently, Sawamura's form is still not complete yet, so he still gives up hits, but none of his pitches have been properly hit. His first pitch on the next batter is a ball, much to Yukari's annoyance.

 _The umpire's getting on my nerves… that one was a close call, but he called it a ball_ , Yukari thinks.

The batter hits the next pitch, but the ball doesn't go far. Maezono chases after it and throws it towards second base, outing the runner on first going to second. They managed to get another out, but there's still a runner on first and third.

"It's Animal!"

"It's the comedian Animal!"

"What's a famous comedian doing here?!"

Yukari turns her attention towards the sudden commotion from the stands. From her spot in the dugout, she can see Chris' father, J. Animal M. She watches as Chris approaches him, and she thinks his father is mad at him. Much to her surprise, for the first time since he injured himself, Chris raises his voice – and cracks it.

"We're just getting started here! Let's stay focused!"

Yukari shakes her head with a small smile.

"Chris-senpai, I didn't know you could be so loud! Your voice cracked a little, though," Sawamura says.

"Shut it," Chris says with a blush on his cheeks. _That's new too_ , Yukari thinks as she tries to remember if she's ever seen him embarrassed, "Just focus on throwing at my mitt."

"Yes, sir!"

Yukari watches as not only Chris, but Sawamura also seem to have new determination in their eyes. Sawamura pitches and the batter pops it. She smirks when Chris throws his mask off and chases the ball. She sighs in half amazement, half incredulity. _Reckless as usual… but then again, I don't have the right to say that, seeing as I would do exactly the same thing_.

Yukari winces when Chris' body hits the backstop. He lifts his left hand and shows everyone the ball in his mitt. Sawamura approaches Chris and asks if he's okay. It seems that Chris gives him the affirmative, as the two of them smile at each other. She sighs, but lets a small smile out. _His play really hasn't changed. Doing whatever it takes to get one out and send the team towards victory is Chris-senpai's style. But he really has no regard over his own body's well-being_.

When it's time to change, Yukari checks on Chris' shoulder and his whole body for injuries. She sighs in relief and nods when she finds none. He then walks towards the batter's box.

"All right, let's score! I'm gonna swing with my heart on the bat!" Sawamura shouts before frantically swinging his bat.

"Eijun-kun, relax, relax," Haruichi says, "You can't swing well if you're so stiff."

Yukari smirks when she sees that Chris managed to hit the ball towards the left field. _He still got it._

"You got on base, so I could bring you home, Chris-senpai!" Sawamura shouts.

 _Like that's gonna happen_ , Yukari thinks with a roll of her eyes as she remembers Sawamura's batting.

"Probably not," Haruichi says. Yukari smirks. _Heeh… he's as blunt and honest as his older brother. I like him more and more._

Much to Yukari's surprise, Sawamura bunts, and he bunts _perfectly_. His bunt killed the speed of the pitch and he managed to send Chris to second base. She smirks. _Hmph. His batting sucks but his bunting is first class. Thank God,_ she thinks. She then turns to look at Haruichi. _Now_ you _send Chris-senpai home, Haru-kun_.

"Harucchi! Relax, relax! You can't swing if you're so stiff!" Sawamura says before laughing.

 _Did he just return Haru-kun's advice on him?_ Yukari wonders as she shakes her head incredulously.

"Ichikawa, what's his batting average?" Oota asks. Yukari looks at her own data and the previous scorebooks.

"He's at .530 so far," Yukari says.

"How will he do playing the lead-off man for the first time today?" Oota wonders.

 _His stats easily meet the requirements to be in the first string. He would be my first choice to promote to the first string_ , Yukari thinks. _Now, let's see if he can make use of this opportunity_.

Yukari observes the other team's defense. _They pulled their outfielders in, thinking he wouldn't be able to hit long_ , she smirks. _Don't underestimate the small ones, because when you're proven wrong, it hurts worse._

Haruichi hits the first pitch and it's a foul. Yukari watches as the outfielders start to move backwards. The pitcher pitches, and Haruichi hits it towards the right field. Haruichi runs towards the first base and Chris runs back home.

 _He really is a batting prodigy_ , Yukari thinks. _I could be right in thinking that he might be better than Ryou-nii._

The match continues and Seidou is up for defense once again. Interestingly enough, the Kokudokan batters start to bunt on Sawamura's pitches. _They're planning something…_ Yukari thinks. _But what?_

The third batter is called out, but they still have a runner on first base. Yukari takes her earphones out and puts it in her ears as she thinks. _They keep bunting. But why? Are they trying to mess up Sawamura's rhythm? Or are they trying to make Sawamura throw a lot of balls? No… they won't go for bunts for that. Unless…_ she eyes Chris – specifically his shoulder – _are they trying to overwork Chris-senpai's shoulder? But how could any of them know that he used to injure his shoulder?_

On the fourth batter, as Sawamura is pitching, the runner tries to steal out of nowhere. After catching Sawamura's pitch, Chris throws the ball towards second base, but somehow it doesn't reach the infield in time. Yukari bites her lower lip. _Just as I thought… they're trying to put pressure on Chris-senpai's shoulder. Someone in that team knows Chris-senpai's plays, and he's trying to break Chris-senpai._

"Chris-senpai!" Sawamura calls out, but Chris holds his hand up.

"I'm fine. Don't worry," Chris says.

 _Are you really, though?_ Yukari wonders in worry as she remembers when Chris first injured his shoulder. He played with injured shoulder until he couldn't handle the pain anymore, and then the next thing Yukari knows, she heard that he couldn't play anymore. It hit too close to home for her.

"One out!" Chris calls out, "Outfield! Throw straight back home! Infield! One out at a time!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Don't worry about the runner! Just give me your best pitch, Sawamura!"

"Yes, sir!"

The next batter prepares for a bunt again. Sawamura pitches and the batter pops it. Sawamura chases the ball, but Chris gets to it first. But even though Chris really managed to throw it to third base, the runner is declared safe. Yukari bites her lower lip. _His control's going haywire… his shoulder must be bugging him_.

"Kantoku… may I go and check on him, please?" Yukari requests. The head coach is silent for a moment, until he nods.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you," Yukari says as she steps out of the dugout and raises a hand, "Time out, please!"

"Time out!"

Yukari rips her earphones out of her ears and marches towards where Chris and Sawamura are. She can feel confused eyes on her from people who are wondering why a girl would come into the diamond. She grips Chris' arm tightly and looks straight into his eyes.

"…can you continue?" is Yukari's only question.

Chris eyes the second year trainer, "…yes," he says eventually.

"Will you tell me when it hurts?" Yukari asks.

"Of course."

"Please promise me, Chris-senpai," Yukari says with gritted teeth.

Chris smiles at Yukari, and taps the top of her head with his gloved hand lightly, "I promise."

The grip on Chris' hand loosens, and Yukari nods, "…I'm sorry."

"No, you were just doing your job. Good job, Ichikawa."

Yukari nods and turns towards Sawamura, "And you. Don't lose your head. Your pitches have been pretty good so far," she turns to walk back to the dugout. Before she got too far, she says, "If you break your promise… I won't forgive you, Chris-senpai."

Yukari returns to the dugout calmer than before. She puts her earphones back into her ears and nods at the coach before returning to her seat beside him. The game continues. One out and runners on first and third.

The next batter – a pinch hitter – gets on the batter's box, and Yukari narrows her eyes. She notices the troubled look on Chris' face as he tries to find out their strategy.

"Chris-senpai!" Sawamura shouts, "Let's focus on the batter!"

Yukari's eyes widen at Sawamura's words, but then she smirks. _Well said, Sawamura. As I thought, his level-headedness is incredible._

Sawamura laughs, "Balls are gonna come flying to you, so I'm counting on you guys!" Yukari rolls her eyes, but the smirk on her face doesn't falter, "Let's go!"

When Sawamura winds up, the runners start to run and the batter positions his bat to bunt. Sawamura pitches, but the ball falls on the plate and is caught by Chris. The runner on third tries to run back to third base, but Chris chases him and taps him out old-fashioned way.

"Out!"

Yukari's eyes widen, and she unconsciously clutches her chest, feeling the harsh beat of her heart. _A-Amazing…_ she then eyes Sawamura. _But I have to take my hat off for him too. I'm not sure if he did it consciously or not, but he threw the ball to the ground. That's only possible because his lower half is strong and his unique pitching form. Not to mention he has unwavering faith that Chris-senpai will stop anything he throws._

The runner advances to second base, but they've got two outs now. Sawamura pitches again and again, and the batter pops it all the time.

"The batter is struggling just to make contact!" Oota exclaims, "Are his pitches really that hard to hit?"

Yukari is certain that his pitches are harder to hit than it looks, since it moves at the plate and the batters have a hard time knowing when the pitch is coming. She doesn't answer Oota and only watches the match. Again, Sawamura pitches and it fouls. But this time, it goes right past the third base.

But the next pitch seems different. Yukari immediately grabs her pencil from her ear and starts sketching Sawamura again. He's using his old pitching form, but somehow something is different. Her eyes widen in realization. _He's… combining his old form of raising his knee high and new wall form…_ The ball he pitches arrives smoothly in Chris' mitt with a nice sound.

"Nice ball!"

 _Yes… nice ball indeed,_ Yukari thinks in satisfaction as she looks at her sketch of Sawamura's new form from the wind up until the moment he throws the ball.

"I just got complimented by Chris-senpai! I got complimented!"

Yukari rolls her eyes. That's _your priority?_

"Six walks in three innings… by overcoming one pinch after another, he gave up no runs and no hits. What kind of pitching is this?" Oota wonders.

Yukari watches as the batter is surrounded by his teammates. _What's with the exaggerated reaction? Is he injured?_ She wonders. She then watches as Nakata and Maezono have to drag Sawamura back to the dugout, with the pitcher crying and screaming about how he's gonna work hard.

"Chris-senpai, I think you broke him," Yukari says when Chris returns to the dugout.

"Yeah…"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I promised I would tell you if it hurts, didn't I?" Yukari smirks at the third year.

"You're done for today, Sawamura," Kataoka says, "Play some catch, and then ice your shoulder."

"Eh?! But what about our offense at the bottom of the inning?! Or am I no good to you anymore?!"

"You're done. Period," Kataoka says, looking irritated, "Chris, you're done too. Okay?"

Chris smiles and says with a bow, "Yes, sir. Thank you very much."

"Makihara. Saito. Kuwata," the head coach calls the three third year players standing in the back bench, "You start this inning. Go wild."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Yukari smirks as the three third year players start to grill Nakata, who is the next batter, to bring them to the batter's box. After Sawamura and Chris are done playing catch, she helps them ice their shoulders.

 _Two people will be promoted to the first string. So far, there are three contenders who have the biggest chance. I wonder who Kantoku will choose._

xXx

After winning the match 8-5, Yukari presents her report to Kataoka, Rei, and Oota – since no one could read her handwriting but herself and Miyuki, she can't simply hand her report over. After she's done, she leaves the room so the three of them can discuss. Even though she has been Seidou's manager for years, she has never participated in the decision making process. The final decision lies in the head coach's hand; she's only helping him with the data that he might have missed.

Not long after she left, suddenly Oota calls for everyone to gather in the indoor practice building. Yukari stands beside Rei in front of all the players.

"I will now announce the players moving up to the first string," Kataoka says, "Based on the past scrimmages, I have chosen these people personally. The two people I call will need to carry the weight of our school name. Those who are not called, I'd like you to support the first string this month until summer starts."

Yukari takes a look at all the players before her, and wonders which one Kataoka will choose.

"The new first string players… are first year, Kominato Haruichi, and another first year, Sawamura Eijun," Kataoka announces, "That is all."

For once, Yukari has a hard time reading the faces of the first string players. The only face she can read is Sawamura's, and she has never seen him looking so lost.

"Totaling 20 first string players, we'll play through the summer. You may now leave to get rest for practice starting tomorrow. Third years who weren't chosen, please stay."

The players start leaving one by one but the third years, but Yukari can see that Sawamura isn't moving. At least not until Youichi kicks him in the butt until he falls on his knees.

"Don't stand there looking lost. Let's go," Youichi says. Sawamura obliges and leaves the building with Youichi. Yukari stays within the room. Even though she's only remotely close with some of the third years, but she has been watching them train since their first year. Of all people, she knows how hard they've been working.

"You've all worked really hard these past two years. Practice was tough. Competition was fierce. Pain and frustration followed you everywhere you went. But you didn't quit. You stuck with me until the very end," all of a sudden, Kataoka bows at the third years, "Don't ever stop making me so proud."

And the dam breaks. The third year players in the room, except Chris, have tears running down their faces. Yukari has seen this view year after year, but it still breaks her heart. She knows how they feel. She knows that as much as they have prepared themselves for rejection, it still hurts. The fact that the head coach said that he is still proud of them is the breaking point.

When Yukari sees the serenity on Chris' face, she smiles. _Even though he doesn't get the place in the first string… he gained something good_.

"Chris," Kataoka calls, "There's a path for you out there as a baseball player. So first, focus on completely healing your shoulder. With that in mind, I want you to support the catchers like Miyuki and Miyauchi. I'd also like you to watch over all the pitchers. Can you do that?"

"Is it really okay if it's me?" Chris asks, "My coaching may be stricter than yours, Kantoku."

Kataoka smirks, "Yeah. Take care of them. And everyone else! I'd like you to support the first string team as fellow Seidou players!"

"Yes, sir! Of course, sir!"

Yukari smiles as she sees the looks on the third year players' faces. They don't seem to have regrets over what happened the past years, and manage to accept the facts. She feels assured. She's going to make sure that the first string players will be strong enough to fight for their sakes.

xXx

On the next morning practice, Yukari notices the decrease in number of attendance in the second string players, mostly from the second year players. This happens every year, so she's grown used to it, and she never takes any action to remedy it. She knows that someone within the team will just whip them back up to shape, and they will return to practice after school.

Yukari is walking down the second year hallway on lunch time when she overhears Maezono confronting the second year players who ditched morning practice. _See? I don't need to say anything, and someone's already done my job for me. I don't have to worry about anything_ , she thinks. She continues to walk towards her destination and knocks at the door.

"Excuse me," Yukari says, gaining the attention of some of the students near the door, "Is Miyuki here?"

"Oh, yeah. He's right there," one of the students point at where Miyuki is, with Youichi grabbing him by the scruff of his uniform. Yukari nods at the student in gratitude and walks into Class 2-B. She approaches Miyuki and Youichi, and unceremoniously drops a green plaid cloth-covered box on the desk, gaining Miyuki and Youichi's attentions. She sees the book on Miyuki's desk and sighs.

"Knowing you, you must've forgotten to eat. That's your lunch," Yukari says.

"Thanks, Yuka-chan!" Miyuki says.

"Hey, what about me?" Youichi asks.

"There's _no way_ you'll forget to eat," Yukari says simply as she takes a seat on the desk across from Miyuki's and takes out her own lunch.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Youichi asks.

"Just as I said," Yukari says as she opens her bento and starts to eat. She watches as Miyuki opens his own bento and starts to eat, "…how is it?"

"You ask me that all the time, Yuka-chan. It's good. Don't worry," Miyuki answers with a huge grin.

"You guys are sickening," Youichi says.

"I think you mean him," Yukari says as she points her chopsticks at Miyuki.

"That's true; he's more sickening than you, hyahaha!" Youichi laughs.

"Anyways, how's Sawamura doing?"

Youichi frowns, "He was still crying last night. I'm not sure if he's gonna get back up soon."

Yukari hums, "Well, he's just gonna have to suck it up and deal with it. He's a pitcher who throws according to his feelings, so it would be bad if he doesn't perk up sooner or later. I'm leaving him to you, Youichi-kun."

"Why?!"

"Because you're his roommate, idiot," Yukari says, "You're the one who's in contact with him the most. If he doesn't get better soon, I'm gonna blame you."

"Ichikawa, you devil…!"

"Thank you for the meal," Yukari says as she claps her hands.

"That's fast!"

Yukari closes her bento box and wraps it in the cloth again. She then peeks at the scorebook on Miyuki's desk.

"Oh, right. Yuka-chan, I was meaning to ask you this…"

"What is it?"

All of a sudden, the two catchers start to talk about the match against Kokudokan, and Youichi shakes his head incredulously. _These two are so weird._

xXx

Despite Youichi's words, on practice after school, Sawamura seems to have returned to his original self. It's like nothing ever happened to him. He's still running with a tire, shouting along the way as per usual. Yukari approaches Youichi and Miyuki.

"Youichi-kun, were you serious when you said he was crying all night last night?" Yukari asks in doubt.

"Of course I was!"

Yukari shrugs, "Doesn't seem like it."

Miyuki laughs, "Looks like you were worried for nothing. He's even more motivated than before."

"Tch."

"It would be a problem if he's not."

Yukari, Youichi, and Miyuki turn at the new voice, "Chris-senpai."

"Always having a positive attitude. That's his strongest quality," Chris says, "But he's going a bit overboard. There are still a lot of things he needs to learn. We have to keep him on a leash, or he'll push himself until he breaks."

"You're right," Miyuki says, "He's too stupid to know how to hold back."

"Exactly. He's an idiot who can't hold back," Chris says.

"Hyahaha! Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"I'm counting on you and Masuko-san to remind him not to overwork himself, Youichi-kun," Yukari says, "The camp will start soon. If he overworks himself, he's just gonna be another burden," she says as she walks back to the dugout where Rei, Kataoka, and Oota are.

xXx

The next morning, Yukari is asked by Chris to come by to the indoor practice building to supervise the two first year pitchers. It's raining, so she walks there with an umbrella. When she arrives, Chris, Miyuki, Furuya, and Sawamura are already inside.

"Good morning. Sorry, I'm late," Yukari says as she puts the umbrella down on the ground to dry.

"Good morning, Ichikawa. You're not late, so it's okay," Chris says.

"Good morning, Ichikawa-senpai!" Sawamura greets.

"Good morning…" Furuya says.

"Morning," Yukari replies.

"Good morning! It's not like you to be late, Yuka-chan," Miyuki says.

"Unlike you, my hair takes longer to dry when it's wet. I had to find my umbrella first," Yukari says as she steals Miyuki's beanie and puts it on her head. He sighs.

"Yuka-chan, you just returned that beanie to me."

"I told you I like this beanie. If I could, I wouldn't return it to you. Be thankful that I still have manners."

"What manners? You steal it right back after you returned it!"

"I told you if you don't want me to take your hat, don't wear it around me. Or react faster before I take it. But do you listen to me? Of course you don't."

"And I told you to buy your own hats!"

"Why would I when I can just wear yours?"

"So you have your own and you don't have to steal it from me whenever you want!"

"But where's the fun in that?"

"Um… I've thought this for a while, but the two of you are quite close, aren't you?" Sawamura asks.

"You think so?" Miyuki asks. He and Yukari ignore Chris who is smirking at them.

Yukari turns to look at Sawamura, "So did this idiot try to run in the rain?"

"Caught him in the act," Miyuki says with a smirk. Yukari sighs. She and Miyuki move to sit on a bench on one side of the building, while Chris stands in front of the two pitchers.

"I called you here because I wanted to tell you what you need to do before summer," Chris says, "Furuya, Sawamura, listen. Every play in baseball starts at the pitcher. That's why it's such an important role. Pick-offs with the infield, late base covering, or any other little mistake could cost the game. Basically, as the ones who have the ball longer than anyone else, you have to be more familiar with baseball than anyone on the team. You can't win the summer tournament on momentum alone."

Yukari rolls her eyes when she sees the horror and anxiety in both first year pitchers' eyes. She knows that they have stopped listening to Chris' words. Miyuki laughs, "Don't worry," he says as Haruichi and Maezono enters the building, "That's why we're here. You can't practice team plays by yourself," he turns to look at Maezono, "Sorry for making you help, Zono."

"Are you an idiot? I can't say no to Chris-senpai! I'm not doing this for you!" Maezono protests.

"I came along too," Haruichi says.

"By the way, Zono…" Yukari says, "I heard you talking to the second year players who didn't come to practice yesterday," she gives him a small, grateful smile, "Thanks. You really helped."

Zono blushes, "N-No, t-that was n-n-nothing!"

"Yuka-chan, you're horrible~" Miyuki whispers in Yukari's ears, "You can't keep stringing him along; it's getting more pathetic to watch."

"He knows that I have a boyfriend. It's his fault for crushing on a taken girl," Yukari says.

"So cold!"

"You know that from the start; don't go complaining now."

"Sawamura, I told you, didn't I?" Chris says, "Practice isn't about aimlessly working hard. You have to learn to rest. Do you want to end up like me?"

Yukari flinches at Chris' words.

"N-No…" Sawamura says.

"It's not bad to have the responsibility of a first string player," Chris continues, "However, you don't need to shoulder everything by yourself. So do a light workout today. Okay?" he says with a smile. Much to Yukari's surprise, instead of instantly answering with a loud voice as usual, Sawamura starts to cry, "Geez, you're quite a handful."

Yukari sighs and shakes her head with a wry smile. Suddenly they hear a very distinctive laughter.

"Are you crying again, Sawamura? Man, you're so hard to work with!" Sawamura turns and looks at Youichi and Masuko, who just walked into the building, "Fine, we'll help you too."

"For five cups of pudding, that is," Masuko says.

"Kuramochi-senpai! Masuko-senpai!" Sawamura seems to cry even harder.

"All right, let's start with pick-offs! You gotta get the slide stepping down," Youichi says. Sawamura nods frantically.

"Sawamura, don't get the wrong idea. Training you two to be full-fledged pitchers is something I'm doing for the team. I haven't given up on being a baseball player," Chris says.

Yukari lets out a small, happy smile. She's grateful that Chris' hasn't actually lost his dream.

"Yes, sir! I'm looking forward to working with you!"

"Just a heads-up, but it'll be hell starting tomorrow."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Yukari smirks as she watches the antics of some of the first string members. But she notices that Furuya doesn't join in and just watches from the sidelines.

"What are you doing?" Miyuki asks Furuya, "Is it hard to get in there? Well, he's surprisingly always surrounded by people, and you're always off doing your own thing, so you two are different," he eyes Furuya, "But… well, I think you're fine the way you are. You lead the team with strength. That's the kind of pitcher you are."

Furuya seems amazed at Miyuki's words.

"To be frank, I can't have fun if you all have the same pitching style!" Miyuki says with a laugh. Yukari sighs. _He's showing his true colors now_.

"Um… I've been thinking this for a while, but… Miyuki-senpai, your personality is horrible."

Yukari scoffs, "You couldn't have worded it any better."

Miyuki laughs, "I get that a lot."

Yukari reaches into her pocket for her mini notebook, pen and pencil, when she feels an unfamiliar object within. Her eyes widen slightly in realization, "Oh right, Furuya, here," she says as she hands over the object; nail hardener.

"…manicure?"

"It's to prevent your nails from breaking. It's healed now, right? But if you break your nails every time you pitch, it'll be a headache for me. Use it regularly," Yukari says.

"I understand. Thank you, Ichikawa-senpai," Furuya says.

"Okay, let's get this practice started," Yukari says as she puts her pencil on her right ear.


	7. Chapter 7

**Just in case you missed it, I made a slight change to the tags, just saying ; )**

* * *

Finally, the first day of training camp begins. Not only the first string players, but some of the second string players have come to help out with practice. As per usual, Yukari walks around the field to observe.

As much as it makes her sound sadistic, one of Yukari's favorite pastimes is watching the players suffer through the hellish camp. There were even players who quit midway because they couldn't take it. Although it's a different story when she gets asked to catch or bat in some of the simulations. If it's just normal practice, she doesn't mind; but if it's for the training camp, she's way too out of shape to help them with the intense practice.

Yukari has to shake her head incredulously when she sees Furuya's infielding skills and Sawamura's outfielding. She heard earlier that they weren't allowed in the bullpen by Chris until they can perfectly execute some simulations and pick-offs.

In the afternoon, Yukari joins the managers in making some rice balls for all the players, both the first string players and the second string. On dusk, they lay the food out and let the players eat. She then sees Sawamura eating excessively, courtesy of Youichi. _That's not a good idea… the training after the sun sets is even harsher than before. Youichi-kun, you always call me a devil, but I'm afraid you're not one to call me that…_ But then she smirks. _This is going to be interesting._

Sure enough, after the sun sets, the _real_ training begins. Starting from 20 sprints from pole to pole, 100 base running, etc., all of them with only a 90-second interval. Not to mention there's an unspoken race between the players in Field A and B to see which field will be done first. Yukari can't hold back an amused smile when she sees the three first year players starting to have a hard time keeping up.

"Alright, that's enough for the first day," Kataoka says. Yukari smirks when the first years, especially Sawamura, seem relieved. _And… here comes the best part_ , she thinks, "Finish up with 20 laps around the field! Everyone's running, and everyone's yelling!"

Yukari giggles at the first year players' horror.

xXx

The next day, after morning practice, Yukari walks towards the cafeteria for breakfast as she watches all the players go before her.

"Good morning, Yuka-chan!"

Yukari turns to look at the source of the voice, "Good morning," Miyuki catches up to her and she unconsciously slows down until they fall into step.

"As usual, the camp is harsh!" Miyuki says, "The first years didn't know what hit them."

"Well, you were in their place only last year," Yukari says, "You know how it feels the first time."

"I do, but they really take the cake!" Miyuki laughs, "Kuramochi even told Sawamura to eat a lot."

"Like Jun-san did last year to him?" Yukari asks. Miyuki nods with a huge grin on his face and she shakes her head with a sigh, "He's really scary when he's got a grudge, that Youichi-kun."

"No kidding!" Miyuki says.

"Did Sawamura barf in the end?" Yukari asks.

"Of course he did! It was hilarious!" Miyuki laughs loudly.

"You're horrible," Yukari says with a smirk.

"Heeh? _I'm_ horrible? Aren't you the one who gets the most amusement? Last year, the first time I ever saw you laugh was when you laughed at Kuramochi after he barfed on the first day! Admit it; watching the first years suffer was hilarious, wasn't it?"

Yukari can't hold it in anymore. Her shoulders shake in laughter, "Man, I love training camps. The first years are such easy targets because they don't know anything," she takes a deep breath to pull herself together, "But since I came here, none of the upperclassmen can express to the underclassmen about how harsh it really is, so they couldn't really warn them. Even after all these years, I still can't describe how hellish this camp is," when Yukari turns to look at Miyuki, she finds him looking at her with a small, contented smile, "…what?"

"I really love it when you laugh, Yuka-chan. Your eyes just lit up like a Christmas tree; it's beautiful."

Yukari blushes when Miyuki leans forward. She looks away from him before anything can happen, "…shut up. You're such a sweet talker, Kazuya."

"WAIT A MINUTE!"

Yukari and Kazuya turn their heads towards the direction they hear the shout from and see the three first year players behind them. Sawamura is pointing at them, while Furuya and Haruichi are looking at them; all three of them are gaping.

"I-Ichikawa-senpai, what are you doing with Miyuki-senpai?!" Sawamura asks.

Yukari tilts her head in confusion, "…I can't talk to him?"

"That's not what I mean! There's practically no space between you two!"

Yukari looks at her left shoulder, and sure enough, Kazuya's hand is there to hold her close. Her mind gets away from her sometimes that she doesn't notice it when Kazuya does little things like this. She then looks at Kazuya, who grins at her cheekily. She narrows her eyes at Kazuya, and then at the first years, "You're exaggerating, Sawamura. Besides, it's none of your business."

"Yuka-chan, you're so cold!" Kazuya says. Yukari looks at him incredulously, but he just grins at her, "Mind if I told them?"

Yukari raises an eyebrow, "…why?"

"Because I wanna see their reactions!"

Yukari sighs, "…do as you like."

Kazuya grins, and then he turns to look at the first years with a teasing grin, "She's my girlfriend, so don't touch her, okay?"

"EEEEEEEHHH?!"

"You're… dating?" Haruichi asks.

"Seriously…?" Furuya mumbles.

"I-I mean, I thought you guys are close, but _dating_?!" Sawamura exclaims.

"Oi, oi… what's so weird about that?" Kazuya asks with an annoyed look.

"B-Because… Ichikawa-senpai is way too patient to deal with you!" Sawamura says as he points a finger at Kazuya.

"I agree," Yukari says to Kazuya.

Kazuya slumps, "Yuka-chan… you're cold."

"You know that from the start; don't go complaining now," Yukari says. She then turns to look at the three first years and says, "What are you guys doing here, anyway? If you don't walk faster, you'll miss breakfast, you know."

Yukari watches as the first years start to dash towards the cafeteria.

"Should we go too?" Kazuya asks. Yukari nods and they go to the cafeteria, with his arm still around her shoulders. When they enter the cafeteria, she can hear some people groaning and some people cheering.

Yukari sighs, "Is it another bet…?"

"Hyahaha, you know it, Ichikawa!" Youichi says, "We've been betting about when Miyuki would crack and finally expose your relationship to the first years! I won!"

"Oi, why is it only me?!" Kazuya protests.

"Because Ichikawa has better self-control than you, idiot! Hyahaha!"

"You held on better than I thought you would, Miyuki," Tetsu says.

"When did you bet on, Tetsu-san?" Yukari asks.

"Right after the first practice."

"Do you have so little faith in me, Tetsu-san…?"

"Geez, why can't you wait a bit longer, Miyuki-teme?!" Jun shouts, "If you waited until the camp is done, I would've won, you bastard!"

Yukari pulls away from Kazuya, "They're your problem. Go deal with it," she says as she walks to get her own breakfast.

"Y-Yuka-chan?! Wait, don't leave me!"

xXx

"Yuka-chan~!"

Yukari looks up from her notes to see her boyfriend waving at her from outside of her classroom. She nods at him and he strides towards her.

"Miyuki-kun, good afternoon!"

"Miyuki-kun!"

Kazuya answers them with a smirk, and the girls squeal at him. Yukari rolls her eyes at the ridiculous, yet usual sight. She is already used to the attention most girls give Kazuya. Even when almost everyone knows that they're dating, that doesn't stop her boyfriend's fangirls from fawning over him. Yukari isn't exactly the jealous type and Kazuya would never give them their time of day, so it doesn't really affect them.

"Kazuya."

"Yuka-chan, bento!"

Yukari rolls her eyes, "You're such a child," Yukari says as she pulls out two wrapped bento boxes, handing one over to her boyfriend. Even though she says that, she enjoys making lunch for them. Kazuya then sit on the chair in front of her desk and opens his bento on her desk. She watches with a small, fond smile as Kazuya eats her food, "…how is it?"

"You ask me that all the time; you know I'll say it's good. You just want me to sing your praises, don't you?" Kazuya asks with a mocking grin.

"Shut up," Yukari says, hitting Kazuya over his head with her notebook lightly.

"Their relationship is kinda weird, huh…"

"They're always arguing, but sometimes I see them smiling at each other like they're in their own world."

"I guess opposites really do attract."

This is a normal sight for the second year students. At lunch time, either Kazuya would come to Yukari's class or vice versa. Yukari would then give Kazuya his bento and they would either leave each other alone or eat lunch together. But they'd _always_ argue about something unimportant. After they're done with their meal, usually they'd talk baseball until the bell rings or they'd leave immediately. This has been happening since they started dating last year.

Even though the sight is normal, it never stops being interesting. People keep wondering why they attract each other when they spend most of their time arguing. But neither Yukari nor Kazuya really listens to people's opinion about them, so they just end up ignoring them.

Before long, their conversation is cut off by the bell. Kazuya pouts, but Yukari smirks at him and hits the back of his hand lightly, "Go back to your class."

"Fine. I'll see you later, Yuka-chan!" Kazuya says before he walks towards the door. Yukari waves at him silently.

xXx

At 4 PM, the afternoon practice starts, and Yukari is with the managers, making rice balls again.

"I-Ichikawa-senpai?" Haruno calls out.

"Hmm? What is it, Haruno?" Yukari asks, "And I've been telling you to just call me Yukari, so don't hold back."

"Ah. Y-Yes! Um… Yukari-senpai… is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That you're dating Miyuki-senpai?"

Yukari sighs. _Is it really that weird?_ "What does it look like?" she asks.

"U-Um…"

Takako laughs, "Well, we've gotten used to it by now, but I think for a first year like Haruno, it might seem weird."

"I was shocked too when I first heard they were dating," Yui says.

"Yeah, it really came out of nowhere," Sachi says, "I mean, seeing the two of them were like seeing a hyperactive dog trying to get noticed by a cat that doesn't care. Miyuki-kun kept bugging Yukari, and she ignored him all the time."

"He's still as nosy as usual; I just got used to it," Yukari says.

"I was just…" Haruno starts, "I was just curious, because… Miyuki-senpai and Yukari-senpai are so different. Miyuki-senpai is so bright, but Yukari-senpai is…"

"Cold?" Yukari asks with a small smile. She smirks when Haruno panics, "Don't worry, I get that a lot," she says, "Well… Let's just say there's a bit of a history between us. I can't tell you the details, but I can tell you this," Haruno is shocked at the softness of Yukari's smile, "I'm here because of him. I owe him everything."

"Heeh…" Haruno exclaims.

Yukari blushes, "…just don't tell him that."

"I can't believe you're talking about _that_ Miyuki-kun," Yui says.

"I know. I mean, a lot of people don't like him because of his personality," Sachi says.

Yukari smirks, "His personality is part of his charm. I've been told before that my personality's not that much better than his. Youichi-kun even says that I'm more horrible than him sometimes."

"Eh?! I can't see it!" Haruno says.

"That's sweet of you, Haruno," Yukari says with a small smirk.

"Well, well, let's stop right here and feed the boys now, girls!" Takako says as she lifts up a box filled with rice balls.

"Yes, ma'am!" the other managers answer.

xXx

On the third day of training camp, Yukari can slowly see the cracks forming within the first years. Haruichi seems to be having trouble moving his legs while fielding. Furuya can't seem to hit the ball forward when batting. Sawamura seems too tired to lift his leg high when he pitches to the net. They run even slower than the last two days during the last 20 laps around the field. After they finish running, they fall to the ground, and it doesn't seem like they can even move.

 _But the first three days are the worst. They should be getting used to it by now_ , Yukari thinks. _I suppose it's time for Furuya and Sawamura to actually enter the bullpen and start pitching practice with a catcher._

Every time she walks by the bullpen, Yukari always sees something interesting. She finds it interesting that Tanba and Miyauchi have been working together without telling Kazuya. She knows that the two of them are two of many people within the team who don't like Kazuya very much. But she knows that Kazuya – and she – can easily see through their thinly veiled secret. She knows that Tanba has been working on a new breaking ball – a forkball.

Yukari doesn't mind him working on a new pitch. Considering his height, a forkball is an excellent weapon for Tanba to use. As long as it brings strikes, she will have no concerns about it. But at some point, she knows that Tanba will have to practice that pitch with Kazuya, who is the starting catcher. She doesn't give a crap about his dislike for Kazuya; they have to form a battery.

On the fourth day, Yukari watches with a smirk as she sees Sawamura's success in infielding. Finally, he manages to move without thinking. _So much has changed in three days_. She rolls her eyes as Furuya, as per usual, fails to catch the ball. He doesn't seem to be as gifted as Sawamura in terms of infielding, but his outfielding is top notch, while Sawamura is his complete opposite. At the last run around the field, not only the first years, but the second and third years are already showing their limits.

When Yukari returns from helping the cafeteria auntie washing the dishes, she sees Kazuya walking from his room with a pillow in his arm.

"Did everyone take over your room again?" Yukari asks casually.

"You know it," Kazuya says.

"Why are you here and not tending to the upperclassmen, then?"

Kazuya grins, "I got Furuya and Sawamura on that."

Yukari smirks, "That's a good idea. Well, it's not like they're gonna stop coming by your room. It's a consequence for not having a roommate."

" _You_ don't have a roommate."

" _I'm_ a girl, idiot," Yukari says, "Of course I wouldn't let anyone near my room."

Kazuya laughs, "You're right. Not even I have been in your room."

"What would you do in my room, anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know… this, maybe?"

Yukari's eyes widen when Kazuya leans forward with a speed she didn't see coming and presses his lips against hers. He uses his pillow to shield them from people's prying eyes. She slowly closes her eyes and kisses back. The kiss doesn't last long. He pulls away and smirks at her. She hates herself for blushing.

"I love it when your face go as red as your beautiful hair, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says in almost a whisper. Considering their proximity, Yukari can hear him clearly. She pulls away from him and he puts the arm holding the pillow down.

"…shut up," Yukari says with a blush as she presses the back of her right hand to her lips. Kazuya laughs.

"I thought you learned to keep your guard up around me, Yuka-chan. You know me; I'm _always_ up to something," Kazuya says before he continues his walk towards Zono's room, "Good night, Yuka-chan~"

Despite her embarrassment, Yukari still replies, "Good night," before making her way back to her room, trying to bring down the temperature of her face.

xXx

On the last day of practice, Yukari always sleeps late.

At the end of each training camps, the coach always arranges practice matches with other schools. This time, the coach had arranged three practice games, with a doubleheader on Sunday. She heard that he thought about putting Sawamura and Furuya on the game in Saturday, and Tanba and Nori on the doubleheader. He told her to get as much data as possible. She smirks when she remembers that he never specified _whose_ data she should get.

Because of those matches, Yukari knows that there are people who will practice until the dead of night, be it the first string members or even the second string. Instead of telling them to sleep like she usually does, she would just observe, just in case anyone gets hurt. Thankfully, no one does, so she sleeps quite well that night.

The next day is the first practice match against Kiryu High School from Osaka, a school that is known for their batting abilities. When she heard that Seidou is going to have a practice match against them, Yukari can't help the scowl on her face. Around two years ago, they had a practice match just like this one, and it wasn't a pleasant experience for her. When he got in the zone, Kiryu's pitcher has this really creepy smile that brings shivers down her spine.

"Ichikawa, you look like you're constipating!"

"Jun-san, you need to work on your sweet talk," Yukari says, "Kazuya can teach you a thing or two; god knows he's too much of a sweet talker."

"Thank you!" Kazuya says with a grin.

"I don't think that was a compliment…" Youichi says.

"So? What's bugging you?" Ryousuke asks.

Yukari sighs, "You'll see."

The match starts, and as Yukari thought, Furuya isn't doing so hot. A whole week of Seidou training camp is starting to show its aftereffects. His pitches get wilder as he gets more tired. Not to mention his only pitch is the fastball, and no matter how fast it is, it's useless when it gets slower when he gets more and more frustrated in himself.

Furuya continues to throw balls and most of the runs that Kiryu score are freebies from Furuya's four balls base walks. Fortunately, even though some of his pitches are hit, the fielders are reliable professionals who have been doing this for at least a year, so Yukari knows that his back is covered, and covered well.

When it's time to change, Yukari discusses her notes with Chris, and verifies some facts with Kazuya. When she sees Sawamura getting mad at Kazuya for not being able to lead Furuya, Yukari raises an eyebrow. _He doesn't like it when he can't pitch, but when his rival gives up a hit, he's just as mad_ , she shakes her head. _What a weirdo._

When Kiryu's pitcher, Tachi Hiromi, takes the mound, Yukari scowls. She can feel people looking at her and keeping their distance from her. She's sure she's emitting some kind of cold aura.

"Y-Yuka-chan… seriously, what's wrong?" Kazuya asks.

"…just get this over with soon, please," Yukari says coldly.

Unfortunately, the pitches that Tachi throws seem to be on the heavier side, that even Seidou's best batters get jammed. Youichi gets jammed and the ball is hit towards third base. Not even his legs can bring him to the first base fast enough. Yukari has to applaud Ryousuke's tenacity for hitting pretty much every pitch into a foul until he gets walked towards first base.

On Jun's turn, just like Youichi, he gets jammed, but he manages to send Ryousuke to second base. _Now I hope Tetsu-san can keep Ryou-nii in second base so that Kazuya can actually_ hit _something_.

Yukari smirks when Tetsu hits the first pitch straight towards the left field fence. She sighs when Masuko hits the pitch high, but it flies straight towards the pitcher. At least Ryousuke manages to return home.

By the fourth inning, Seidou is losing by nine runs. Yukari can see the crowd dispersing in disappointment. _Well, excuse them for being tired. You try going through Seidou's training camp for just three days and play against Kiryu. We'll see how you cope with_ that, Yukari thinks in slight irritation.

"As expected, Kiryu's batters are good," Chris says, "They noticed Furuya's poor ball control, and they're not swinging at all."

"His pitches are too obvious," Yukari says, "It's a good thing Kazuya's not leading him at all. He needs to experience the importance of ball control."

"What's his pitch count?" Kataoka asks.

"It's the middle of fourth and I counted over 100," Chris answers.

"Me too," Yukari confirms. She then notices Sawamura walking – nay, _stomping_ – towards Kataoka.

"I've warmed up plenty! Let me pitch, Shades – no, I mean, Kantoku!" Sawamura says.

"Hey!" Oota reprimands him.

"You'll throw in the sixth inning," Kataoka says firmly, "Just shut up and watch."

"I can't do that!"

Yukari ignores Sawamura and returns her focus towards the field. She sighs when she looks at Furuya. _You haven't learned anything, have you? After so many walks, I expected you to actually try and control your pitches by now. Unfortunately you're not as smart as I thought._

"Excuse me. Time out, please."

Yukari raises an eyebrow when those words come out of Furuya's mouth. She watches as Kazuya hurriedly lifts his mask and rushes towards the pitcher. _Is he at his limit already?_ She itches to hear what they're talking about, but she's sitting too far from them and Furuya covers his mouth with his glove. Not that she'll understand anything when it's not covered – she's a horrible lip reader.

But when she sees Kazuya laughing, Yukari is sure that Furuya is _far_ from his limit. In fact, she can feel his frustration from where she's sitting; not only Furuya's but also Jun's. _Jun-san looks like he's about to burst. In fact, I'm surprised he hasn't yelled at Furuya at all._ Not long after, Kazuya returns to his post.

"Oi, Furuya! Hey! You awake?! Say something, teme! What's wrong?! You done already?! Switch?! You wanna switch?!"

"Pipe down a bit, Sawamura," Chris says.

"Yes! Chris-senpai!"

 _I'm kinda jealous that he listens to Chris-senpai immediately_ , Yukari thinks. She watches as Furuya inhales and exhales. He then looks straight at Kazuya, and she smirks. _This is when things get interesting_. Furuya pitches and she smirks when she sees the batter's face. He hits the ball, but Jun manages to catch it and throws it back home, outing the runner. _As expected from a pitcher aspirant. Horrible control, though; that's why he's not a pitcher._

"Nice, Jun-san!" Youichi says.

"Would've been safer if it had bounced," Ryousuke comments.

"Shut up!" Jun says, "And Furuya! You forgot to cover home! What would've happened if my throw was off a little?!" he then punches Furuya's chest lightly, "Stop playing baseball by yourself. Idiot."

Yukari smirks when she hears their banter as they walk back towards the dugout for the change.

"Furuya," Yukari hears Kazuya says, "Do you understand now? Getting frustrated and tensing up isn't how you throw fast. What a fastball pitcher like yourself needs is ball control and endurance management," she turns just in time to see him smirk as he puts his batting helmet on, "Now then, let's go score. All for a certain someone."

"…do hit something when there's no one on base, Kazuya."

"Damn it, Yuka-chan! I was so cool before you said that!"

Yukari shrugs, "Just saying."

As Yukari thought, even though Kazuya manages to hit the ball, it goes straight to the pitcher. She sighs as she shakes her head.

"He's so lame," Youichi says with a big smirk on his face.

"That's zero hits from him so far," Furuya comments with a frown on his face.

"That idiot…" Rei sighs.

"Miyuki does much better with runners on base," Chris says.

"He's too inconsistent," Rei says.

"I honestly don't understand where he gets the confidence to say those things to Furuya," Yukari says.

"Furuya's already done for, and that catcher with the goggles is useless! This means I have to play!" Sawamura says.

"Shut up, Sawamura!" Youichi says.

"But I can't!"

"Pipe down," Chris says.

"B-But…"

"Let's keep it down, Eijun-kun," Haruichi says.

"Not you too, Harucchi!"

"You won't help much anyway," Yukari says.

"E-Even Ichikawa-senpai…"


	8. Chapter 8

Yukari flinches violently when she feels the atmosphere changing.

"…it's here…" Yukari says under her breath.

"Yuka-chan?" Kazuya says as he turns to look at his girlfriend who is almost shaking in her seat next to him, "What's wrong? What's here?"

Yukari glares coldly at Tachi who has started to smile widely, "I was wondering when it will come… it's quicker than I thought," she says. She sighs heavily, "He's on a roll now. This is going to be troublesome…"

True to Yukari's words, Tachi soon outs the last batter, and it's time to change.

"But…" Yukari says lowly, "He _is_ the ace and the cleanup batter. You know what would happen if you just… break him, don't you?" she asks with a cold – almost evil – smirk on her face, which is replied with an identical one by Kazuya.

"Well, he's the one supporting the team… without him, they might just slip a little…" Kazuya says.

"It's here…"

"Ichikawa's evil smirk is here…"

"Geh! Miyuki's smirking too!"

"What a scary couple…"

"Good thing they're on our side…"

"You know what to do, Kazuya. You realize it too, right?" Yukari asks as she looks at Kazuya from the corner of her eyes, smirk still stuck on her face.

Kazuya smirks, "Yeah. Oi, Furuya!" he calls out. The first year pitcher turns around to look at him, "I told you to hold a ball with your fingers while you were banned from pitching, right? We never practiced it, but throw it."

Yukari watches as Furuya's expression darkens and he proceeds to ignore Kazuya. She sighs, "…he forgot."

"Hey, now…"

Yukari sighs and watches as the Seidou players get in position. The first batter is Tachi, still with that creepy smile on his face. She can't suppress her shudder when she sees him. _What a creep…_

Furuya winds up and throws. Yukari scoffs when he throws a slow ball. It arrives in Kazuya's mitt cleanly within the strike zone. She can't help but smirk when she sees the look on Tachi's face.

"Strike!"

 _That's it… he's not gonna swing until two strikes anyway_ , Yukari thinks. When she sees Tachi seemingly having changed gears, she smirks even wider. She gets her pen ready. _Now throw the forkball, Furuya. Just for show._

Furuya winds up, and Yukari's eyes widen when she sees the course. _That is_ not _a forkball_. She frowns when it drops just as Tachi swings his bat. She doesn't know what shocks her more; the fact that Furuya just threw a split-finger fastball or that Kazuya has just missed a pitch.

"What was that pitch?"

"A fastball dropped?"

"I-I'm not sure… but it's the first time I've seen Miyuki miss a pitch."

 _Yeah… me too_ , Yukari thinks. _But there's no way he could've caught that. It's nothing like he expected, and I'm damn sure Furuya didn't mean to throw that_. She sighs as she silently glares at Furuya. _You should've done what Kazuya asked you to do, idiot._

When Yukari turns to look at Tachi, she sighs in relief. Thanks to that unpredictable pitch, Tachi's smirk is wiped clean from his face.

"D-Don't tell me, Miyuki… made Furuya throw that pitch without any practice," Oota says.

"I assume so," Kataoka says, "Seeing as he failed to catch it."

"That's insane!" Oota protests, "What is he thinking?"

Yukari smirks as she tunes out Oota's groans. _This is one of the reasons why you're one of my favorite catchers of all time. You're_ bold. _The way you hone the pitchers' ability honestly makes me jealous. What a way to utilize a practice game._

Kazuya stands and positions his mitt near Tachi's head, and Furuya throws. It's definitely a ball, but because Tachi swings his bat, it's a strike, and he's called out. _Nice job. The ball's in_ our _court now._

Yukari watches on in amusement as the fielders start praising Furuya, much to the astonishment of the pitcher. _I'm sure he wasn't received very well by his teammates back home because of his powerful fastball… to hear some encouraging words from his teammates here must feel foreign but good. It's just a matter of whether or not he uses it to grow._

Furuya continues his streak all through the inning. It's time to change, and Kataoka tells Sawamura that next inning will be his turn to pitch. Yukari tunes out Sawamura yelling at Furuya for saying that they don't need to switch. But she can feel Sawamura's nerves even when she's not looking at him, especially after Furuya hits a home run.

Yukari almost rejoices when she sees Tachi's devastated look, but with a few encouragement words from his coach and his teammates, his creepy smile is back. She clicks her tongue. _Man, I wish he's not so easily influenced by his teammates. I gotta hand it to the coach, though; he knows his players well._

Not long after, it's time for Sawamura's debut as a first-string member. He replaces Furuya as pitcher while Furuya plays left field. _He_ did _show us that he does a great job with outfielding. Considering his batting skills, I wouldn't wanna bench him either._

"Balls will come to you, so thank you for defending!"

Yukari is rudely awakened from her own thoughts by Sawamura's yelling. _Is that going to be his signature tagline or something?_ She turns her head from left to right to get the cricks off of her neck, and gets her pen and pencil ready. When Sawamura throws his first pitch, her right hand gets busy drawing his form and his pitch course. The ball lands cleanly in Kazuya's mitt, and the umpire calls a strike.

 _Let's see if that wasn't just pure luck_.

Sawamura throws again. When Yukari compares it to her drawing, the course is similar, but it's too high. The Kiryu batter swings late, but it still lands in right field. _As expected from the monster batter school. Even when they get jammed, they can still hit long_.

Sawamura winds up, and the runner starts running. But instead of throwing towards Kazuya, he throws the ball to Tetsu in an attempt to retire the runner. Yukari shakes her head incredulously. _That's definitely a balk, idiot. I thought Chris-senpai and Youichi-kun taught you how to do pick-offs already?_

"Sawamura! Get it together. Let's focus on the batter!" Kazuya says as he positions his mitt near the batter's knee. Sawamura throws, but it almost hits the batter's face. _Too high_ , Yukari thinks as she shakes her head. Kazuya continues to ask for the inside low pitch. Sawamura throws again, but it's still too high, so the batter manages to hit it, and the runner in first manages to advance to third.

Even from the dugout, it's painfully obvious that Sawamura is worried about the runners. _Idiot. Focus on the batter. Leave the runner to the fielders._ She frowns when he glares at the runner on first base. He then throws his pitch with a slide step, and Yukari's frown deepens. _That's too high. It's going to go._

Yukari's eyes widen when the ball is hit and smacks right into Sawamura's body. She notices that he actually manages to catch the ball. _What the hell…? He managed to catch it in his glove?!_ Sawamura then positions his hand to throw the ball towards third base. _Throw it to second base for a double play!_

"Sawamura! Second! Double play!" Kazuya commands. Sawamura does as he says and throws the ball towards Youichi, who throws it towards Tetsu.

"Out!"

 _He actually used his head for once. What a dude. That ball landing in his mitt was pure luck, though, and you can't depend on luck forever_ , Yukari frowns. She tries to catch Sawamura's eyes to ask if he's okay, but then he turns his body towards the fielders.

"Balls will go flying, so thank you for defending!" Sawamura yells as he flashes the two-out sign.

Yukari rolls her eyes. _If he still can shout that loud, I guess he's fine_.

xXx

It's the bottom of the sixth inning, and Sawamura manages not to give up a run. With his performance, Yukari calls that a miracle. And just like she thought, Sawamura was fine.

"We somehow made it without giving up a run. That inning was bad for my heart," Oota says.

"Despite everyone's fatigue, they all seem to be well-focused," Rei comments.

Tetsu is up for bat, and Yukari focuses on him. It's always fascinating to watch him on the plate. Sometimes he gets super calm, but at times his aura is unstoppable. It's also amusing to watch the reaction of other teams towards Seidou's captain.

"You really suck," Kazuya says to Sawamura from beside Yukari, "That double play just now was pure luck. The last out was Shirasu's fine play. We might not have given up any runs, but it wasn't your doing. If you keep throwing down the middle, they're gonna score in no time."

 _Thank you for saying everything I wanted to say to him, Kazuya,_ Yukari thinks.

"But you're only holding the glove on the inside! If you gave me more options, I'm sure I could–"

"Huh? Did you say something? Can you repeat that?" Kazuya cuts him off with a teasing tone, leaning towards Sawamura with a hand beside his ear to try and hear him better, "You have what it takes to throw to the outside corners? You have breaking balls that break from strike to ball?" Sawamura growls when he has no words to retort, "That's why you need to throw inside. Are you even watching the other team's pitching?"

Yukari shudders as she glares at Tachi's creepy smile. Kazuya laughs from beside her.

"Look, even Yuka-chan is creeped out by him!"

Tachi throws his first pitch towards Tetsu's face but Tetsu doesn't even flinch.

"To be frank, that catcher is avoiding Tetsu-san," Kazuya explains to Sawamura, "But the same four balls you throw could have completely different implications, depending on whether you throw offensively or cowardly."

"Ball four!"

When Masuko walks towards the plate, Yukari silently hands Kazuya his batting gloves as she continues to watch the game, and he accepts it from her as he continues to talk, "A persistent inside offense plants a seed in the next batter. Watch Masuko-san's at-bat. He's going to swing at an outside pitch."

Sawamura gasps and Yukari hands Kazuya his batting helmet silently, without taking her eyes off of the game. Kazuya accepts it and puts it on before silently leaving the dugout. Masuko hits the first pitch, which is a slider to the outside. Yukari clicks her tongue when it flies straight to first. _His pitches are heavy even for Masuko-san…_

"See?" Kazuya says without looking at Sawamura, "There's more to pitching than meets the eye, huh?" he eyes the first year pitcher from the corner of his eyes, "You don't have anything but your energy to rely on right now, so at least learn to pitch to the inside."

"Says the person who hasn't landed a single hit today," Yukari comments off-handedly. Kazuya slumps.

"Yuka-chan, you're horrible…"

"Oh, sorry. My honest thoughts just flow out," Yukari says with a straight face, "Do hit something without anyone on base, Kazuya. To quote you from what you said to Sawamura, 'you really suck'."

"Geh…"

Yukari returns to her notebook, ignoring Kazuya's pout. He walks almost dejectedly towards the plate, but then straightens up, most probably thinking that he needs to prove his girlfriend wrong. Tachi winds up and Tetsu runs for second base. The first baseman tries to inform Tachi, but much to Yukari's amusement, Tachi has completely forgotten all about Tetsu.

Tachi pitches and the catcher catches it. The umpire calls it a ball, but before the catcher can throw the ball towards second base, Tetsu has already advanced.

 _There you go. A runner on second. Don't let me down, Kazuya._

"They were going for that," Chris says.

"The credit for that one goes to Miyuki," Kataoka says.

"That's true. Kazuya's focus changes when there's a runner on second rather than first," Yukari comments, "He somehow focuses better when he can clearly see the runner. It would be better if he can focus _all_ the time, though."

"You're tough on him, Ichikawa," Chris says in amusement.

Yukari shrugs, "It's because I believe in his skills."

The Kiryu coach then shouts encouraging words towards the pitcher, much to Yukari's annoyance. _He's not named the best coach in Osaka for nothing_. When Tachi grins, Kazuya laughs out loud. When Yukari notices that he can still argue with the catcher, she's reassured of his calmness.

 _He's calm and there's a runner on second. If you can't hit this one, I won't forgive you, Kazuya._

Tachi pitches a good course pitch to the outside, and Kazuya steps hard. His cleanly hits the heavy pitch right down the right field baseline. Tetsu runs back home and Kazuya advances to first base.

"Amazing! He pulled that one hard!" Haruichi comments.

"W-Whoaaa!" Sawamura yells in admiration. The next at-bat is Shirasu Kenjirou, the right fielder and a fellow second year, and he manages a hit. Kazuya advances to third base, but Shirasu is out. Sawamura practically stomps towards the batter's box, not before telling Shirasu that he intends on avenging him. _Yeah, like that's gonna happen. I don't understand where you got this confidence from when you can barely make contact unless it's a bunt_.

As Yukari thought, Sawamura is cleanly struck out. He returns to the dugout fuming.

"Damn. I'll hit it next time! Definitely!" Sawamura growls as he hits his mitt continuously.

"Oi, oi," Kazuya calls out, "Don't let that strikeout bother you on the mound. This is where it counts. Throw to the inside."

Sawamura looks nervous, but nods nonetheless, much to Kazuya and Yukari's shock.

"Huh? Have you become obedient?" Kazuya asks.

Sawamura looks irked, but he says, "Yes, sir!"

Yukari silently puts her notebook, pen and pencil on the bench as she stands up with Kazuya's chest protector in her hand. Kazuya stands up and lets her help him put the protector.

"I've noticed this since earlier… but you guys really are dating, aren't you?" Sawamura asks.

"What kind of dumb question is that?" Kazuya and Yukari ask at the same time without looking at Sawamura.

"I mean, Ichikawa-senpai just gives your gears without you even asking… you weren't even looking at each other, but it seems that you guys know what the other wants…" Sawamura tries to explain.

"Well, even though they only started dating last year, they met long before that," Rei explains.

"Rei-san," Yukari says, "No need to give out unnecessary information."

Rei smirks, "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Hyahaha! To put it simply, you guys are disgusting!" Youichi says before he leaves for the diamond. Yukari thinks Youichi should thank his fast legs, because if he didn't run fast enough, his arm would fall victim to her sharp nails for the nth time. After she's done, Yukari pats Kazuya's chest and returns to her seat. Kazuya and Sawamura make their way to the diamond.

The next inning starts, and Yukari watches as the next Kiryu batter stands at the very front of the batter's box. _Have they figured out Sawamura's pitch?_ She smirks. _As expected from a prestigious team from Osaka. They're scary_ , she turns to look at Sawamura. _This means you have to do well, Sawamura._

Sawamura pitches and Yukari frowns. The ball is thrown to the outside and the batter hits it straight into Masuko's body. While he does get the wind knocked out of him for a while, he snaps out of it quite quickly and throws the ball towards Tetsu, outing the runner.

"One out, Sawamura-chan," Masuko says.

"Masuko-senpai!"

Yukari manages to catch Masuko's eyes and she silently asks him if he's okay. She nods at him when he gives her a thumb up. The balls have been flying towards the players' bodies today; she's worried someone might get seriously hurt.

 _Half of that out goes towards luck and the other half go to the fielders. You're never gonna become ace if this keeps happening, Sawamura_ , Yukari thinks. She clicks her tongue when she realizes who they're up against; the cleanup batters. _You seriously need to change gears now, Sawamura. If you throw easy balls like earlier, it's gonna hurt._

"Is Miyuki-kun being serious against Kiryu?" Rei wonders.

"Looks like it," Chris says.

"It's good, isn't it?" Yukari asks as she doodles on the corner of her notebook, "Just because this is a practice game, doesn't mean he can lose focus."

Kataoka scoffs, "What a tactician," Rei, Chris, and Yukari turn their focus towards the head coach, "I told him I wanted to know if Sawamura's fastball will be effective or not."

Yukari's eyes widen at this information. _Is that why he keeps demanding inside pitches? So that he can show Kataoka-kantoku that he can be used in tournaments?_ Yukari eyes Kazuya. _Kazuya… no matter what you say to him, you actually give Sawamura more credit than I thought you do, don't you?_

Again, Sawamura pitches another easy pitch which is hit towards left field. Furuya chases after the ball, but before he can catch it, Jun catches it first and throws it towards Ryousuke. The runner can't advance towards second.

"Whoa, you stopped him with your scary face!" Sawamura shouts, "As expected from Hige-senpai!"

"Who's Hige, dammit?!"

Yukari watches in amusement as Furuya tries to hold Jun back.

"You're letting them hit too much!" Jun shouts. Kazuya then asks for a time out to give a pep talk to Sawamura. Yukari eyes the next batter – Tachi – with cold eyes. It's nothing personal; she just doesn't like that smile. That smile makes him look like a serial killer, while she heard from some of the Kiryu players that he's actually quite shy. Not to mention, when that smile comes out, that means he's in the zone, and they're in trouble.

"W-What are you saying?!" Yukari can hear Sawamura say from the dugout.

Kazuya laughs as he walks back to his spot, "Nothing."

Sawamura looks down at his feet, and then he glares at the runner at first base. He then winds up and throws. Much to Yukari's satisfaction, it lands exactly where Kazuya wants it; inside.

"Strike!"

xXx

The practice match ends with the score of 7-14 for Kiryu. After the match is done, the players and the managers walk the Kiryu players back to their bus.

"Um… these are rice balls," Haruno says as she hands over a plastic bag towards one of the Kiryu players, "Please eat them on your way back."

"Whoa, thanks!" the player says, accepting the bag, "You guys made them?"

"We apologize if they're not good," Haruno says.

The Kiryu players grin, "You guys are so lucky. You have four girl managers! Not to mention, they're all cute!"

" _Seidou no Yukihime_ was here too, right? I saw her from our dugout!"

"Of course she was, idiot; she's our trainer!" Jun says with an irked look on his face.

"Man, you guys even have _Seidou no Yukihime_ as your trainer…" One of the Kiryu players says with a sigh, "We only have the school doctor, and he's an old man…"

Haruno frowns in confusion as she mumbles, " _Seidou no Yukihime?_ " Haruno wonders under her breath.

"Heeh, so that nickname reaches Osaka? I thought it wouldn't go beyond Tokyo. Apparently I was wrong," Yukari asks as she walks towards the Kiryu players after a small meeting with Chris, "And I'm not a trainer yet."

"Ichikawa-san!"

"Good work today, everyone. As usual, you guys are strong," Yukari says, "Next time we won't lose," she smirks, "Not to mention Tachi-san's graduating this year, right? You guys better step up your game without him."

One of the Kiryu players nudges his friend, and his friend says, "Um… Tachi-senpai says hi, Ichikawa-san. He wants your number, but he's way too shy to ask you himself."

"Tell him to ask me for it himself. I don't care if he's shy; if he's serious, he should get over it," Yukari says automatically, "Besides, I already have a boyfriend."

"S-So cold…"

"Anyways, aren't you guys in camp right now? You need to let loose more," one of the Kiryu members says.

"That last-inning offense was tough!"

"Shut up! We weren't going down without a fight! We'll get revenge next time!" Jun says.

"Bring it on!"

Yukari watches as the first year trio converse with someone within the Kiryu bus. She smirks. The pitchers have done immensely well; more than she could ever ask for. Despite their fatigue, they have shown everyone their best performances yet on that match. Not to mention Sawamura only gave up three runs during his time on the mound, and that is amazing all on its own. It's a shame that he could only throw one pitch to the inside, though.

"Alright, boys! We're going to Kanagawa tomorrow!" the Kiryu coach yells, "Don't lost energy!"

"Yes, sir!"

As the players and the coach walk into the bus, the Seidou players, managers, and coaches bow towards them.

"Thank you very much!" Tetsu says, followed by the rest of the players. Yukari shudders when she can see Tachi smile from within the bus.

xXx

That night, Yukari takes a small canvass and her painting tools to her favorite spot in the school; the slope beside the field. The sky is clear and the stars are out. After taking care of the team for the whole training camp, she feels like she deserves some kind of reward. She sits on the grass near the steps so she can put her painting tools there so they don't slide down the slope, and starts to squeeze some oil paint onto her palette.

After she's done with her preparations, she takes a brush from her brush pouch and starts to paint the starry sky. Before long, she hears the telltale sound of someone running in the field with a tire on. She frowns. _Sawamura?_

But when she looks at the field, it's not Sawamura she sees, but Furuya. She decides to ignore him, since he's not as noisy as Sawamura – even when he's alone, the southpaw pitcher is loud. She continues to paint until she hears a commotion. She sighs. _Sawamura._

And lo and behold, Sawamura comes running towards Furuya and they start to argue over the tire Furuya used to run with. _They must not be able to sleep. The same thing happened with Tanba-san two years ago and Nori a year ago after they played their first game. They were tired, but their brain won't let them sleep._ She rolls her eyes and continues to focus on her painting. Suddenly she hears a familiar laughter as she continues to paint.

"Hyahaha! What are those two doing? Fighting over a tire? They just had a game today, and they're still going to practice?" Youichi says.

"They can't sleep from all the adrenaline. They're not playing tomorrow, so who cares?" Kazuya says. Yukari peeks from the corner of her eyes and sees her boyfriend and his best friend carrying their bats. They must've just finished their extra batting practice.

"Heeh… so, what do you think of Sawamura's pitches after personally catching them?" Youichi asks. Now this, Yukari wants to know.

"They're not that bad. He got a lot of help from the fielders, but he held the Kiryu lineup to three runs. But ball control, fielding, etc.… he has way too much he's missing, just like Furuya. To be honest, as it is, I can't put my faith in him in a tight spot," Kazuya says.

 _I agree. If Sawamura himself understands that, that would be enough_ , Yukari thinks.

"Figured," Youichi says, "So that means our ace this summer will be Tanba-san. Furuya's got a stamina problem, too."

"If he threw his best consistently, he would've been our ace long ago," Kazuya says, "Kantoku is only hard on him because there's that much expectation."

"More importantly, are you gonna be okay?" Youichi asks, much to Yukari's shock.

"Huh?"

"As far as I can tell, Tanba-san doesn't like you. Hyahaha! He's a little hard-headed, but you're way too straightforward, despite being a year younger. It's no surprise he doesn't like you," Youichi says with a laugh.

Yukari smirks. _Youichi-kun is pretty damn observant_.

"It can't be helped. A battery consists of both the pitcher and the catcher. It doesn't matter who's older. If it means making the pitcher shine, I'll do whatever it takes. I'll lie and make myself hated if I have to," Kazuya says.

Yukari's hand pauses when she hears those words come out of Kazuya's mouth. She unconsciously lets a soft smile out. _Kazuya, you…_

"Oi! You two!" Kazuya calls out to the two pitchers still fighting over a tire in the field, "Just because you're not playing tomorrow doesn't mean you can sleep in! We start early, so don't overwork yourselves!" Yukari can hear the smirk on his face as he says, "Well, you guys gave up fifteen runs between you, so it'd be surprising if you could sleep at all!"

The pitchers gape in shock, and so does Youichi. Yukari scoffs. _He really doesn't care if he's hated. What a guy_ , she speaks up without taking her eyes off of her canvas, "You guys need more sleep than those two, you know. You guys _are_ playing tomorrow. If you guys are late, it's not just Kantoku's wrath you're gonna have to face."

"Geh, Ichikawa?! Since when…?"

"Ooh, Yuka-chan! Good evening!" Kazuya says as he approaches Yukari. She blows on her painting as she finishes the last touches. He looks over her shoulder as she puts away her tools, "That looks amazing."

"Thanks," Yukari says.

"Want a hand?"

"Might as well."

Kazuya puts his bat down and helps Yukari with her tools. He waits until she's done before taking his bat and putting his arm around her shoulders, "Well, bed time for me~"

"Don't sleep too late, Furuya, Sawamura, Youichi-kun," Yukari says as she looks over her shoulders. The two of them leave for the dorms.

"Wait right there!" they hear Sawamura shout, "It was fourteen runs total! Don't add any!"

"T-That's right! Don't add!" surprisingly, Furuya is the one who says that.

"No one can tell who you are without your hat and goggles anyway!" Sawamura shouts, to which Kazuya laughs.

"I bet you can," Kazuya says with a smirk.

"Of course I can. What kind of girlfriend do you take me for?" Yukari asks, slightly offended.

"As long as Yuka-chan can still tell who I am, I don't care~!" Kazuya says.

"I hate you!" Sawamura shouts.

"And people wonder why you don't have friends," Yukari says.

"I don't need anyone but you," Kazuya says. Yukari expects him to have a smirk on his face, but he sounds and looks serious when she turns to look at him. She blushes as she slaps his arm away.

"You don't mean that," Yukari says as she walks faster towards the dorm.

"Ah?! Are you shy?! Yuka-chan, you're so cute!"

Yukari ignores him as she climbs up the staircase towards the second floor of the dorm.

"Yuka-chan, good night!" Kazuya calls out. Yukari likes that he never forgets his greetings to her, no matter what kind of argument took place beforehand.

"Good night," Yukari answers without looking at her boyfriend. She leaves the canvass outside, beside her door, to dry as she enters her dorm room to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks a lot for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Here's the next chapter : D**

* * *

On Sunday, it's time for the doubleheader against Inashiro Industrial and Shuhoku High School. Nori is starting in the first match between Inajitsu and Seidou, and to be quite frank, Yukari isn't happy with his performance. He let five runs in the eighth inning alone, and they're not even up against Inajitsu's starter players.

Yukari sighs. _As usual, Nori's problem lies within his weak mentality. He gets intimidated by batters and runners. It's a shame; he's got amazing ball control, which is what our other pitchers lack._

"Kantoku! Kawakami-senpai's at his limit!" Sawamura shouts. Yukari rolls her eyes, "He's tired from the camp, too!"

"Sawamura, stop!" Youichi whisper-yells.

"If you give me the green light, I'll happily go out there!" Sawamura says.

"Sawamura, shut up," Yukari says without even looking away from her notes. Sawamura flinches.

"I don't have any plans for you today," Kataoka says.

"Go away," Yukari and Kataoka say at the same time.

"N-No plans?! I'm not doing anything today?!" Sawamura asks incredulously. Masuko then grabs him and drags him to the side alongside Youichi. _Thank you, Masuko-san, Youichi-kun,_ Yukari lets out a sigh and continues to watch the match. Miyauchi then calls for a timeout, and Yukari knows that she doesn't have to watch this.

The Miyauchi-Kawakami battery is very strange to her. Miyauchi knows that Nori lacks the heart when it comes to pitching, so he occasionally checks if Nori still has his balls. Literally. Yukari doesn't need to see that.

She refocuses when Miyauchi returns to his post. Nori winds up and pitches, and Yukari smirks as she notices that this pitch is better than the ones before.

"Strike!"

 _That's it, Nori_ , Yukari thinks with a smirk as the fielders give encouragement to the second year sidearm pitcher.

In the end, the game ended with a total score of 4-8, Inajitsu's win. The next match is Inajitsu vs. Shuhoku, and Yukari can't help but smirk. She loves doubleheaders like this, especially when Seidou isn't playing in the second game. When the two rival schools are going up against each other, it's Yukari's gold mine. She can dig up as much information as she want and can before their match against Shuhoku.

Yukari leaves Sawamura to clean up the dugout in the other field, but when he doesn't show, Rei told her, Kazuya, Youichi to go look for him. Yukari sighs and reluctantly does as she was told. When they finally found him, Yukari doesn't expect his company. He's with Harada Masatoshi and Narumiya Mei, Inajitsu's captain and ace respectively, apparently spewing out information freely.

"Thai kick!"

Yukari has to thank Youichi for that. Sawamura yells out in pain.

"Stop talking about our team, you idiot!"

"Eh?! That was all true?!" Narumiya asks, "He just gave away secrets to a rival team."

"Is he an idiot?" Harada wonders.

"You…" Yukari says coldly. The people around her flinch when they feel cold aura coming from her. When she changes her usual way of calling 'you' from ' _kimi'_ to ' _kisama'_ , Kazuya and Youichi know to back off, "Why are you giving out information freely when it's so hard for me to get them from another team, hmm?"

Sawamura flinches and takes a step away from Yukari, "I-Ichikawa-senpai…"

"Why don't you put yourself in my shoes and see how hard it is to get information from another team? This next match, I want you to get me at least five information about both teams. If you can't do that, I'm going to tell Kantoku what you just did," Yukari smirks coldly at Sawamura, "Who knows what kind of punishment he'll give you."

"I-I understand!"

"As expected from _Seidou no Yukihime_ ," Harada comments.

" _Seidou no… Yukihime_?" Sawamura wonders.

"She's in your team and you don't know?" Harada asks. He points at Yukari, "She is pretty famous among the high school baseball scene; there's even an interview with her in some magazines. People know that Seidou has a female trainer-manager who is cold and harsh on the team, which is why she gets the nickname."

"I still don't get the point of giving me a nickname; I'm not a player…" Yukari comments, "I'm not even a trainer yet."

"But you have to admit that it's a pretty fitting nickname," Kazuya says with a grin. The other players around them flinch a little, afraid that Yukari might get offended. Contrary to their thoughts, Yukari smirks.

"Well, I never said I didn't like that nickname," Yukari admits.

"You're still the same as ever, Yukari-chan!" Narumiya says. Yukari heaves a deep sigh.

"It's been a while, Harada-san, Narumiya-kun," Yukari says, "And don't call me so familiarly, Narumiya-kun."

Narumiya pouts, "Geez, you're still as cold as usual, Yukari-chan. I thought we were close enough!"

Yukari raises an eyebrow, "Where did you get that idea from?"

"Well, Sawamura was telling the truth. Furuya's not doing very well right now," Kazuya says. Narumiya sighs.

"Kazuya, when you say it, it sounds like a total lie," Narumiya says.

"So, you're pitching today, right?" Kazuya asks.

"I sure am," Narumiya answers easily.

"Time to get some valuable data, then, right, Yuka-chan?" Kazuya asks with a smirk at his girlfriend. He then offers her a fist, "I'm counting on you."

"Leave it to me," Yukari says as she mirrors her boyfriend's smirk and bumps her fist to his. _I'm damn sure Narumiya-kun's going to slip up and give us some brand new information somehow. He's not any better than Sawamura after all._ Narumiya clicks his tongue.

"Don't tell me you guys are still going strong?" Narumiya asks with a pout.

"It's none of your business," Yukari answers.

"Of course we are!" Kazuya says, ignoring Yukari's answer, "When she told you that you have no chance, she was being serious, you know?"

"Let's go, Mei," Harada says as he turns around to leave, "I don't like him."

"Oh, is that so?" Narumiya says as he follows Harada, "Last summer, Kazuya's calls completely shut you–"

"Shut up! Let's go," Harada cuts him off, much to Narumiya's amusement.

"Well, see ya," Narumiya says as he waves towards Kazuya, "See you later, Yukari-chan!" he slumps when Yukari completely ignores him.

"Sawamura," Kazuya calls out, "As a fellow southpaw, don't miss his pitching."

"Eh?"

"Last summer, in the semi-finals… he perfectly shut Azuma-san out," Youichi explains. Sawamura inhales sharply in shock, "He's our fated rival. If we don't take him down, we can't go to Koshien."

"The match is starting. I'm expecting a report by the end of the day, Sawamura," Yukari says as she leaves for the next field.

xXx

Yukari has to admit, as much as he is annoying, Narumiya Mei is an amazing pitcher. His pitching repertoire is impressive, and he delivers. The catcher within her wants to form a battery with him, only if he tones down his ego a bit. But the world is cruel and nobody's perfect.

"Tch… that annoying brat…" Jun growls, "He wasn't going all out in the first half. He just stepped up his game."

"Yeah," Tetsu says, "A sharp slider, a forkball that almost goes into the ground, and what makes those breaking balls come to life is his fastball with a top speed of 148 km/h. Vertical and horizontal breaks, in addition to a powerful fastball. He's truly an exemplary pitcher."

Yukari can see the two first year pitchers seem overwhelmed with the knowledge they just received.

"Hey, watch closely," Kazuya reprimands them.

"Especially _you_ , Sawamura. You haven't forgotten your task, have you?" Yukari asks. The first years flinch at her unusually rude choice of words, "Your hand has stopped writing," she adds as she continues to feed ink into her notebook with little information and some pencil sketches.

"Did something happen?" Chris asks.

"I'm just teaching Sawamura the importance of information gathering, Chris-senpai. No need to worry," Yukari simply says. Chris doesn't push it.

"It looks like they understand how complete his pitching style is," Chris says.

"As an opponent, there really isn't anyone worse to play against," Kazuya admits.

"If he doesn't have ego as big as the sun, he would be perfect," Yukari offhandedly comments. She frowns, "What in the world is he doing?" she wonders as she watches Narumiya laughing to himself. Yukari notices that Narumiya slightly touches the tongue of his cap, and then he has this excited look in his face. She sighs, "They came up with something new again…"

"How did you know, Ichikawa-senpai?" Haruichi asks. Yukari ignores him until he realizes his mistake, "…Aneki…?" he says tentatively, which is rewarded by a satisfied smile from Yukari. The first years blush when they see her smile.

"Heeh, did you tell him to call you that, Yukari?" Ryousuke asks.

"You don't mind do you, Ryou-nii?" Yukari asks.

Ryousuke shakes his head with his usual smile, "Call her Aneki, Haruichi," he practically commands.

"E-Eh?! B-But…"

"Hyahaha! You really are the middle child of the Kominato siblings, Ichikawa!" Youichi says. Yukari scoffs.

"Anyway, I've been watching this battery since they were first formed. I pick up on small signals like that. When Narumiya plays with his cap, he's bound to have something up his sleeve," Yukari explains, "Especially when he looks like an excited puppy like that," she frowns, "So freaking annoying…"

Since she figured out that it must be something new, Yukari gets her pencil ready to start sketching. Her pencil runs across the paper furiously as she draws a stick figure of Narumiya's form. She clicks her tongue in annoyance as she sketches the course of the ball when she realizes that the ball drops.

 _A freaking changeup. Good lord, does he ever stop…? But thanks for the new information, Narumiya-kun. I know I can count on you._ Yukari peeks at Inajitsu's coach, and smirks when she sees him looking furious. _I wonder if I look like that when I'm mad._

"What was that half-assed throw?" Sawamura asks. When no one answers him, he turns to look to his side and sees his upperclassmen with their heads bowed down, except for Chris, Kazuya, and Yukari, "Huh? What's wrong, guys?"

"Tch. That wasn't even funny," Jun says, "He already has a good fastball and both vertical and horizontal breaks. Now he has an off-speed pitch? That brat… just how good is he going to get?"

Yukari peeks from the corner of her eyes when Tetsu activates his aura. She takes a step aside away from her upperclassmen when the aura spreads within the first string members except for Kazuya.

"I wanna hit him," Jun growls, "His overconfident face makes me mad!"

"Make sure you hit him with a ball," Ryousuke says with a smile on his face, which makes him all the scarier.

"I'm going to hit in today's game," Masuko swears.

"Hyahaha! I'm getting excited," Youichi says.

Yukari eyes Narumiya. _Your attempt in scaring us has backfired, Narumiya-kun. Nothing excites these baseball monsters more than a strong opponent_ , she holds her chin in thought. _There_ has _to be a weakness somewhere… nobody's perfect. Not even the seemingly perfect Narumiya Mei. So far, the only weakness I have of him is his tall pride. We need to utilize his ego for our gain somehow_ , Yukari eyes her boyfriend. _I'm gonna have to count on you for this, Kazuya._

Sawamura laughs, "We haven't lost! I don't quite know exactly what, but we haven't lost!"

"Sawamura, your hand's stopped," Yukari comments without looking at him.

"Geh!"

"I need to train even harder," Haruichi says. Yukari smirks. _Even Haru-kun's motivated. Good._

"Miyuki," suddenly Tanba says, "Let's go warm up."

"Eh?"

"You should check out how I'm throwing today in the bullpen," Tanba says, "So you'll know how to call the plays."

Yukari smirks at Tanba's retreating back, "Can I come with, Tanba-san?" she asks. Tanba eyes her from the corner of his eyes.

"Go ahead," Tanba says.

"Chris-senpai, I'm sorry, but can I leave the data gathering to you?" Yukari says.

"Don't worry. Leave it to me," Chris says. Yukari turns to look at Kazuya and smiles softly when she sees the astonishment in his eyes. She knows that he will never admit it, but she knows that he's just a little bit touched by Tanba's words and actions.

"Don't you dare ask for information from Chris-senpai, Sawamura. I'll know. I've been reading his data for almost three years," Yukari says as she and Kazuya walk towards the bullpen. Sawamura flinches and pouts.

xXx

It's the third game of the doubleheader, Seidou vs. Shuhoku. It's the bottom of fifth, and Seidou is in the lead by nine runs. Yukari is, so far, thoroughly satisfied with Tanba's performance. His control over his curveball really pleases her. Not to mention he has somehow reached a truce with Kazuya and has yet to disagree with his calls.

Yukari has to admit, she was a little bit shocked when Tanba approached Kazuya first earlier. She knows very well about his aversion towards Kazuya. It feels good to know that he knows when to put his head down and listen to Kazuya as the starting catcher.

The next pitch, the battery intentionally lets the batter hit the ball, which is caught swiftly by Youichi who throws it towards Ryousuke, outing the runner on first going to second, who throws it towards Tetsu, outing the runner from home going to first, creating their signature 6-4-3 double play.

"After five innings, he's thrown 43 pitches," Rei comments, "He's pacing well, so far."

"Nice pitching, Tanba," Chris comments when Tanba returns to the dugout.

"Nice pitching, Tanba-san," Yukari says as she hands a towel over to him. Tanba nods at the two of them and accepts the towel from her. When Kazuya returns to the dugout, Yukari eyes him. _One of the reasons why Tanba-san has been doing so well is because of his calls… I've thought about this a million times, but he really is an amazing catcher._ When he catches her eyes, before she can look away, he smiles softly. She looks away with a blush, but she peeks at him again and gives him a small smile of her own, telling him that she is satisfied with his calls.

"Stop flirting, dammit!" Youichi says in irritation. Yukari flinches. _Youichi-kun, damn your observation skills…_ she thinks as she looks down to her notes with a blush on her face. Kazuya grins at Youichi before he approaches Tanba.

"Tanba-san," Kazuya calls out, "I think they're going to start focusing on a certain pitch soon. I'll start asking for forkballs next inning," he informs, much to the shock of not only Tanba, but also Miyauchi, who's sitting right next to the third year pitcher, "One of the objectives in today's game is to throw a complete game. We've been able to keep your pitch count low, so let's take this chance to make this game ours," he smirks at Tanba, "The second half is the real battle."

"Whoa, he sounds like an actual catcher," Sawamura comments, "Is he the same guy who only asked for inside throws?"

"He didn't make any calls to me…" Furuya says under his breath.

"I guess it depends on the pitcher," Haruichi says.

"Exactly, Haru-kun," Yukari says, much to Furuya and Sawamura's dismay, "Sawamura, I don't expect you to slack off now. You can still get some information from Shuhoku, you know."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"Eijun-kun… did you upset Ichikawa-senpai somehow?" Haruichi asks.

"'Aneki', Haruichi. 'A-ne-ki'," Ryousuke says in a teasing tone.

"A-Aniki!"

Yukari hears Tanba scoffing, "I thought you weren't asking for it because you weren't confident you could catch it."

"Eh?"

"Try and catch it if you can," Tanba challenges. Yukari smirks. _I thought you would know better by now, Tanba-san. I've never seen Kazuya miss a pitch he specifically asks for. As long as you deliver, he will definitely receive it._

xXx

It's the bottom of sixth after Seidou manages to get three more runs. Yukari gets her pencil ready to sketch Tanba's forkball pitching form and course. The players get in position, and Tanba gets ready to pitch. When Yukari notices his shocked look, she knows that Kazuya has asked for the forkball. _Thanks, Kazuya_.

When Tanba winds up, Yukari's right hand swiftly move across her notebook as she sketches Tanba's form. When the ball is thrown, she immediately moves to draw its course. She smirks as the batter swings and the ball drops. _That's not bad. Not bad at all. Following the same path as a fastball, it drops right in front of the batter like a sinker. The textbook example of a forkball_ , Yukari grips her pencil tight. _It's been a while since I felt like this, but… I wanna catch it._

The inning ends quite quickly with three strikeouts.

"Wow!" Sawamura exclaims.

"Tanba's looking really well!" Oota exclaims, "He's doing well with Miyuki, too!"

"Looks like he's prepared well for the summer," Chris comments.

 _Let's just hope that no one will hit his pitch_ , Yukari thinks. _Tanba-san's weakness lies in the fact that he's way too hard on himself after he gives up just one hit. At least I hope he has learned how to get over it._

When Kazuya returns to the dugout, Yukari smirks at the satisfied look on his face. She can't help herself. When he's close enough, she has to ask, "How did it feel?"

Kazuya looks at his girlfriend and smirks, "It felt awesome."

Yukari clicks her tongue with her smirk still stuck on her face, "I'm kinda jealous," she says, "I should've asked to catch it earlier," she turns to look at Tanba, "Tanba-san, do you mind if I catch some later?"

Tanba smirks. He, like the rest of his teammates in his year, has a soft spot on the red-haired trainer. The current third years all see Yukari as their resident younger sister. At first, no one liked her because of her bluntness. But when Chris got injured, they saw how worried she was about him – in fact, it was the first time they've ever seen her show her emotions clearly –, and they realized that she really, truly cares for them. That's when they started really listening to her, much to her surprise, since the players from the previous years took so long to start taking her seriously.

"Do as you like, Ichikawa," Tanba says. Yukari smirks back at him, "Miyuki. Let's focus on throwing more forkballs the last three innings."

Yukari bites her lower lip. This is also a weakness of Tanba's. Like all pitchers, he's an egotist. But because he's the starting catcher's upperclassman, Yukari thinks he feels that he has more right to get what he wants than other pitchers.

"I think that pitch alone was effective enough," Kazuya says, "Do we really need to throw more with Inajitsu watching?"

 _It's true. His performance usually worsens in the second half. There's no point if he can't grip the ball tight enough to throw it well later on_ , Yukari thinks.

"We should use the forkball to scare them, but I think it's best to center the plays around your fastball and curveball," Kazuya explains.

"No, I want to throw forkballs," Tanba insists, "I don't have a lot of opportunities left to throw them in a real game."

Before Yukari can open her mouth to comment, Kataoka is faster than her.

"Tanba," the head coach calls out. She can see Tanba's face tightening from the corner of her eyes, "Are you saying that as a pitcher representing the team? Or are you saying that for your own good as a baseball player? Which is it? Tell me," Tanba is silent as he ponders on the question, "If you're saying it for your own good, then I can't give you the ace number."

 _He took the words right out of my mouth. Well, I figured it would have a better impact on Tanba-san if those words came out of Kantoku's mouth. Keeping my mouth shut was a good decision_ , Yukari thinks. The players in the dugout look shocked at the coach's words, but no one is as shocked as Tanba.

"Wa– Kantoku!" Oota says.

"I think it's both," Tanba then answers.

"O-Oi, Tanba! What are you saying?" Oota asks.

"I know I tend to put myself down in the second half," Tanba says, "And I understand that Miyuki is thinking about me when he makes the calls. But if I don't conquer my weakness with my own strength, I can't stand on the mound with confidence. It is in order to become the true ace. That is my honest answer."

The dugout is washed in silence after Tanba's answer.

"I understand," Kazuya then breaks the silence, "If that's the case, I'm with you all the way until the very end," he says, much to Tanba's shock, "I can't ignore a pitcher's opinion when it's this strong."

Jun scoffs, "Where did you learn to talk big like that? If you give up a run now, you'd better take responsibility. You'll shave your head all the way!"

Ryousuke laughs, "Oh, that's good. I'm in."

"I'm in," Tetsu says.

"Hyahaha! Or you could grow your hair long," Youichi suggests.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Oota reprimands them.

"If you give up a run, you'll shave your head. If you lose two runs, you'll shave your eyebrows, too. I'll write it down," Chris says as he writes it down in his notebook.

"I'll write it down too so you have backup, Chris-senpai," Yukari says as she writes it down in her own notebook.

"Chris! Ichikawa! Not you too!"

"Hyahaha! Chris-senpai, you're awesome!" Youichi laughs.

"Three runs and you'll grow your hair long?" Chris suggests again. The players in the dugout laugh at his words. Yukari can't help but let a genuine smile out.

Yukari likes the lightness of the atmosphere in the air. This is why she loves the players one year above her more than any other players. Their struggle together when they first started cemented their relationship, and Yukari is privileged enough to watch it form and solidify. She remembers when they all first came. Tanba was definitely shier than he is today; so much that he could hardly meet anyone's eyes. But now, Tanba seems to have gained respect and recognition from his fellow players, which is the most important thing in becoming a real ace.

"Next batter! Hurry up, please!" the umpire calls out.

Yukari looks at the field and turns, "Tanba-san, I think it's your turn."

"We're sorry!" Oota says, "He's coming!"

Sawamura suddenly yells, "When did Shirasu-senpai get on base?!"

"You weren't watching?" Shirasu asks. _Sorry, Kenjirou-kun_ , Yukari mentally apologizes for not paying attention.

"And Sakai-senpai is back in the dugout!"

"Shut up!" Sakai Ichirou, the third year left fielder says with tears running down his face, "I'm sorry I hit straight to third base!"

Yukari shakes her head incredulously with a small smirk on her face as she turns back to look at the diamond where Tanba is getting ready to bat. She scoffs out a laugh when the players in the dugout start shouting half-assed encouragement.

"Hyahaha! Tanba-san's determined to hit!" Youichi says.

 _Tanba-san, just get struck out and return. We don't wanna affect your pitching_ , Yukari thinks as she watches the Shuhoku pitcher. She frowns when she sees him panting harshly. _Is he okay…?_

The pitcher winds up and throws the ball, and Yukari's eyes widen as she watches the course of the ball.

It hits Tanba cleanly on his cheek.

His helmet falls off his head due to the force of the hit. Yukari lets her notebook and stationeries fall to the ground as she runs in full speed towards him, being the first to react out of everyone, with Kataoka following close behind her. Yukari manages to catch him just before his body hits the ground. She thanks her fast legs as she grunts a bit at the sudden extra weight.

"Someone get the stretcher!" Yukari hears the coach commands.

"Tanba-san, let me see," Yukari says as calm as she can be as she slowly puts Tanba's uninjured side on her lap. She squeezes her hands to stop them from trembling before checking his injury. Tanba groans in pain as she touches his cheek, trying to get away from her touch, "Don't move, Tanba-san."

"I'm fine…" Tanba says.

"No, you're not," Yukari says straight away, "Now, can you tell me where we are?" she asks as people start to crowd around them.

"…Seidou…"

"Good. What are we doing today, Tanba-san?" Yukari asks without missing a beat as she continues to examine his injury.

"Oota-buchou, get the car!" Rei shouts.

"Right away!" Oota says.

"Doubleheader… with Inajitsu and Shuhoku…" Tanba answers.

"Exactly. Who are we up against now?"

"Shuhoku…"

 _Good. His memory's just fine._ She bites her lower lip when she realizes that it may not be too bad, but it's not too good either. _I think his chin may be cracked…_

"Youichi-kun!" Yukari calls out, "Get the ice pack from the cooler and a towel, now!"

"O-Okay!"

"I can stand…" Tanba groans.

"Don't you dare," Yukari growls coldly.

"Just stay put," Kataoka says. Thanks to his fast legs, Youichi returns with the things she asked for in no time. She thanks him and then wraps the towel around the ice pack.

"I'm applying ice pack on your cheek, Tanba-san, okay?" Yukari warns him. She lightly presses the towel covered pack onto Tanba's slowly swelling cheek, to which he flinches.

"Sorry… Ichikawa…" Tanba suddenly says.

"Eh?" Yukari frowns.

"It seems that… we need to reschedule…" Tanba says as he tries to smile at her before hissing in pain. Yukari frowns for a bit, until she realizes what he meant. He did say that he's going to let her catch some of his forkballs. She lets out an exasperated breath as she holds her tears at bay.

"Don't think about that now. I'm just going to hold your words," she looks sternly into Tanba's eyes, "Right now, just get better, you hear me?" Tanba just lets out an affirmative sound and Yukari grits her teeth. _Why now…? When he's doing so well?_

"I'm terribly sorry," the coach of Shuhoku says as he approaches Kataoka, "Especially right before summer."

"It was an accident that happened during a game," Kataoka says, "It's not your pitcher's fault. However, would it be okay if we ended this game here?"

"Yes, that's perfectly fine," the Shuhoku coach says.

"I'm sorry about this after you came all this way," Kataoka says.

"Where's the stretcher?!" Yukari yells as she slowly loses her composure.

"Here!" two players come with a stretcher.

"Okay, Tanba-san, we're going to move you, okay?" Yukari warns him calmly. Tanba groans. He's still responding, but it seems that he's starting to lose consciousness, "Damn it… Tanba-san, stay with me! Masuko-san! Tetsu-san!" Yukari calls out, trying not to let her panic seep too much into her voice, "Help me move him, please."

"Okay," Tetsu says.

"Uga!"

Yukari asks Tetsu to hold Tanba's lower half while Masuko holds his upper half, "Try not to move his head too much," she says as she tries to keep the ice pack on his face. Masuko nods, "On the count of three. One, two, three!"

Masuko and Tetsu move together to put Tanba on the stretcher. She then walks with them towards where Oota brings the car. After they move him to the car, Yukari sits in the back seat as she lets Tanba's head lie on her lap so she can keep pressing the ice pack against his injury. She, Kataoka, and Oota then proceed to bring him to the hospital.

* * *

 **Kimi: a polite way of saying 'you', but is less polite than 'anata'. This is the word Yukari usually uses to refer to the people of her age and below.**

 **Kisama: a very rude way of saying 'you'. Yukari uses this word when she's pissed off.**

 **Just a little bit of new info about Yukari. If you guys have any questions, just ask! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

Yukari notices the change in atmosphere during morning practice the next day. After what happened the previous day, the players, especially the third years, are more shaken up than she imagined. Not to mention the drawings for the summer regional tournament is that afternoon. Yukari is hoping that the third year players will change gears soon enough, for the sake of their ace.

During the after school practice, everyone gathers in the indoor practice building and receives a copy of the summer regional tournament brackets. While they won't meet Inajitsu until the final, they will meet Ichidaisan in the quarter final, if everything goes to plan.

"Are the upperclassmen going to be okay?" Youichi wonders. Yukari looks up from the bracket and sees the third years gathering in one spot together, "They've been looking completely defeated since yesterday."

Yukari sighs and looks back down to the brackets, "They're gonna have to. They don't have a choice."

"Oi, oi, Ichikawa…"

"If they don't change gears soon, they'll just be an embarrassment to Tanba-san," Yukari says straight out without looking up. Because she's been focusing on the bracket, she misses Youichi's troubled look.

The coach then gets everyone's attention, "I'm sure you've all heard, but Tanba's chin was cracked by yesterday's dead ball. Luckily, it's not a complete fracture, and his brain wasn't affected either," Kataoka says, "With that said, he still might not make it to the preliminaries."

The players look conflicted; both by the news of Tanba's condition and the fact that he won't be joining them from the start.

"To be honest, I still feel unsettled. He was finally starting to recognize his position as the ace, so I'm sure he's feeling upset about it as well. This is my sincere opinion as the coach of this team, and the decision was not influenced by my personal emotions," he raises his voice, "I am giving the ace number to Tanba. Until he comes back, we will fight battles as one team!"

The third year players, who had their heads down, look up at the coach.

"With that in mind, Kawakami is a must, but… Furuya and Sawamura. You two first years will be playing more frequently as well. When that happens, I want the third years to take the reins and help support these two."

From the corner of her eyes, Yukari can see the third years nodding.

"Let's do this."

"Yes, sir!"

"Miyuki," Chris suddenly calls. Kazuya, Youichi, and Yukari turn to look at him, "I think you understand, but we don't have time. We have to focus on training their fielding and ball control."

"Indeed," Kazuya says with a smirk.

"Ichikawa. I'm gonna have to ask for your help too. I might ask you to put your mitt on sometimes, so have them ready," Chris says.

Yukari smirks, "Understood."

"Let's get them ready by summer," Chris says.

xXx

That night, during dinner time, the heavy atmosphere has yet to lift from the air. Yukari honestly doesn't like this, but she has complete faith in the third years that they will change their gears even without a pep talk.

Not long after Tanba was done getting treatment, he gained consciousness and told Yukari to tell everyone not to worry about him. Yukari had told him that she doesn't need to tell them that, because she knows that they will realize it by themselves. Especially now, after they know that Tanba has been guaranteed the ace number. She expects them to set the stage for their fallen ace.

"Ichikawa, can't you do something about the upperclassmen?" Youichi asks as he eats his dinner. The second years are sitting on one table, with Youichi, Kenjirou, and Nori on one side, Yukari, Kazuya, and Zono on the other.

"Like what?" Yukari asks without looking up from her meal.

"Talk to them or something… the atmosphere's making everything awkward…" Youichi complains.

"I don't wanna go to practice tomorrow…" Nori groans.

"Oi, Nori! Don't say that!" Zono says.

"Do you really wanna go practice with this dark aura in the air, Zono?!" Nori asks.

"And say what?" Yukari asks again.

"I don't know! Anything!" Youichi says in exasperation.

"Why me?"

"Well, you know them better than anyone here, Ichikawa," Kenjirou says from beside Nori.

"Exactly," Yukari says as she looks up at her fellow second years, "I know them better than anyone. And I know for a fact that they don't need a pep talk," _At least not from me_ , she thinks.She shrugs, "Besides, I'm not their mother. They're older than us; they should be able to take care of themselves. Just leave them be," she then claps her hands in thanks, "Thank you for the meal."

Yukari ignores the worried looks from her fellow second years and leaves them to return her tray. She then wordlessly leaves the cafeteria to go to the vending machines. She inserts her money and presses the button for the strawberry milk, and rolls her eyes when it doesn't come out.

"Stupid old machine…" Yukari growls under her breath as she hits the machine a couple of times, but her drink doesn't come out of it. Suddenly another hand hits the machine harder than she did, and her milk carton falls out of it. She turns her head to look at her savior and sees her boyfriend, "Thanks, Kazuya."

She then leans down and takes her drink from the machine and stands back up. She turns around to leave, but before she can, Kazuya puts his other arm against the machine, trapping her. When she tries to escape from below his arms, he leans his forehead against her, making her blush.

"K-Kazuya…"

"You okay?"

Kazuya's sudden question shocks her into silence. She curses him for knowing her too well. To be truly honest, she's _not_ okay. She feels a special connection with the upperclassmen one year above her, and seeing Tanba getting injured brings back horrible memories about when Chris first got injured. She thinks that it was a miracle that she was so calm when she gave first aid to Tanba. She wasn't that calm when Chris got injured; in fact, she was a wreck. It was the first time she has ever cried in front of the team.

Yukari bites her lower lip as she avoids looking at Kazuya's eyes, but he moves faster. He puts his right hand against her left cheek softly, not once pulling his forehead away from hers, "Look at me in the eyes and tell me the truth. I'll know when you're lying, Yukari."

When Kazuya calls her with her name and not 'Yuka-chan', Yukari knows that he's being extremely serious. No matter how much she tries, she can't run away from him. She knows that from the start, but you can't blame her for trying. Yukari sighs and looks straight into Kazuya's honey colored eyes, "…no. I'm not okay."

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it through her nose as a tear runs down her cheek. This is not her first time crying in front of him, but that doesn't mean she likes it. She doesn't like looking and feeling vulnerable in front of an audience, even when it's someone she trusts like Kazuya. And he knows it, so he wipes her tear with his thumb and continues to rub her cheekbone with it.

"I was so worried… I mean, the ball hit him on his face. His helmet couldn't even protect him," Yukari says, "I'm just… so glad that it's nothing too serious…" she says as she closes her eyes and lets out a big sigh of relief. Kazuya then leans forward and pecks her lips. When he pulls away, she unconsciously follows his lips. When she realizes what she's done, she pulls back a little and blushes.

"There's a reason why you're Seidou's trainer. You reacted faster than anyone; even Kantoku. You were amazing," Kazuya says with a genuine smile, "I'm not just saying this because you're my girlfriend, but I know that everyone, now including the first years, can count on you; because you really care about all of us. Good job, Yukari."

"I'm not a trainer yet," Yukari automatically says.

Kazuya chuckles, "Yes, yes, I get it," he says as he pulls Yukari into his arms and pets her hair.

Yukari takes a deep breath and lets Kazuya's scent envelop her like a warm blanket as she wraps her arms around him. She values her personal space, but Kazuya is a special exception. After she's calmed down, she pushes on his chest and he immediately lets her go completely.

This is also something that Yukari loves and appreciates from Kazuya. He knows how much she takes her personal space seriously and he knows that he has a special privilege, but he doesn't abuse it. He just naturally knows when he can invade her personal space and when to pull away. Yukari doesn't even have to say anything.

"I'm going to bed," Yukari then says as she walks towards the stairs.

"Good night, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he looks up at her walking up the stairs. Yukari stops in her tracks to look at Kazuya and smiles.

"Good night, Kazuya."

xXx

Yukari is worried that she has given the third years too much credit. Practice the next day is considerably quieter than any other day, and it's worrying. But Yukari stands by her belief. She believes that they don't need a pep talk; at least not from her. Should she and Kataoka give them the exact same words, Kataoka's words will definitely give more impact than hers ever will.

"Tetsu-san, Jun-san," Yukari calls out, stopping the captain and vice-captain in their fielding practice, "Kantoku would like to see you."

Not only Tetsu and Jun, but the players in the vicinity stop playing out of curiosity. After Tetsu and Jun walk towards the dugout where the head coach is, Yukari turns back to look at the other players, "Why are you guys stopping?"

The players flinch and return to their respective practices. She might be imagining it, but they seem to be working harder than before. Yukari watches as Kataoka talks to Tetsu and Jun from afar. It's a bit disappointing that, being captain and vice-captain, they aren't the ones who are raising their voices first. Not to mention they are respected top players within the team; she knows for a fact that everyone will follow whatever they do.

But to be completely honest, Yukari doesn't expect for Jun to come to her after practice ends and ask for her to catch his pitches. When he did, she raises a questioning eyebrow, but doesn't complain. Instead she follows him to the indoor practice building with her own catching glove and mitt – she's been carrying it around since Chris told her to have them ready.

When she arrives at the indoor practice building, Yukari finally understands. She sees Tetsu pitching to Kazuya. She scoffs. _Kataoka-kantoku… you really are an exceptional person_ , she thinks with a smirk. After she's done gearing up, she approaches Kazuya. He smirks at her, which she responds in kind. She and Jun play catch beside Tetsu and Kazuya until she feels that both their shoulders are warmed up.

"Okay, I'm sitting down, Jun-san," Yukari says as she crouches beside Kazuya. She punches her mitt and then puts it forward and Jun pitches. His pitches go way off course, but Yukari calmly catches them.

"How's that, Ichikawa, my bazooka ball?!" Jun asks loudly after a couple of pitches.

Yukari sighs in exasperation, "There's a reason why you're not a pitcher, Jun-san."

"None of them are strikes, sir!" Kazuya tells Jun from beside her, "I don't envy you, Yuka-chan."

"I wasn't asking you, Miyuki-teme!"

"He's right, though," Yukari says as she throws the ball back to Jun.

"What?!"

"It's ironic that you throw strikes from the outfield," Tetsu comments, "Watch, Jun. This is how you throw a strike."

"Tch. You throw like a fielder, too," Jun comments. Yukari smirks. _Jun-san's looking better. I expect nothing less from Kantoku_.

Jun suddenly glares at Nori, who is standing on Tetsu's other side, pitching to Miyauchi, "What's wrong, Kawakami?! You're not gonna throw?!"

"I-I will! Miyauchi-senpai, I'm going!" Nori says.

"Just hurry up and throw!" Miyauchi says.

Yukari smirks. _Being a pitcher himself, I'm sure Kataoka-kantoku knows just how naturally competitive pitchers are. Having Tetsu-san and Jun-san, who are not pitchers, practice pitching, will light up a fire under the actual pitchers._ She extends her right arm again and says, "Jun-san, I'm waiting. My arms are dying over here."

Jun scoffs, "You're slacking off, Ichikawa!"

"No, my stamina has always been low," Yukari says under her breath as Jun winds up. From the corner of her eyes, she can see Chris walking past the indoor practice building door with Furuya and Sawamura looking enviously at the sight of Tetsu and Jun. She can see the fire within the third year manager's eyes, and she smirks. _See? There's nothing to worry about, Tanba-san. They'll be waiting for you_.

xXx

Final exams are coming up, and Yukari can see some of the players staying in the cafeteria after dinner to study together. Looking at their nervous faces, she honestly can't understand why they can't just treat the finals like a normal test; they're basically the same thing. But she knows better than saying that to their faces.

One night, she sees Sawamura being tutored by his classmate, Kanemaru Shinji, and Haruichi tutoring Furuya. She doesn't know what came over her, but she approaches the first years and peeks over their tutors' shoulders.

"You got number 2 wrong, Sawamura," Yukari simply says. Sawamura is currently being tutored in math by Kanemaru. She then peeks at Furuya's workbook. He and Haruichi are working on Japanese literature, "There's a better proverb for question number 4, Furuya."

"Eh?! Seriously?!"

Not only Sawamura and Furuya, but their tutors also look confused. Yukari sighs and takes a seat across from them.

"I'm going to explain this once, and only once. I don't wanna hear you whining to me asking to tell you again, understand?" Yukari asks. Sawamura and Furuya nods. She first explains to Sawamura the normal way to finish the problem in number 2 and the simpler way, and then she moves on to telling various sayings with similar meanings to Furuya and have him decide on his own which one fits question number 4 the most.

"Do you get that?" she asks when she's done.

"Yes… thank you, Ichikawa-senpai," Furuya says.

"That was so easy to understand! Thank you, Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura says. Yukari raises an eyebrow at the use of her nickname, but doesn't say anything.

"…Yukihime?" Haruichi wonders

"You don't know, Harucchi?! Yukihime-senpai is famous! She's _Seidou no Yukihime_!" Sawamura explains.

"Well, you only just found out from Harada-san earlier yourself," Yukari says. Sawamura slumps.

"I didn't know there's a simpler way to do that problem…" Kanemaru says, still eyeing Sawamura's workbook in awe.

"Well, you just need to tweak it. But that doesn't mean you can ignore the basic formula. Only use the shortcut when you don't have to write down the basic formula to quickly get an answer," Yukari says.

"Ichikawa-senpai, you're amazing…" Haruichi says.

"Hmm? What did you say, Haru-kun?" Yukari asks playfully.

"Eh, um… Aneki… I can't believe you remember so many proverbs…" Haruichi says, "I just think it's amazing."

"Right? As expected from my girlfriend the genius!"

"I'm not a genius," Yukari simply says as Kazuya wraps an arm around her shoulder, which she playfully slaps away. He then puts his arm around her shoulders again nonchalantly, but this time she lets him, at the price of his beanie, "I just study effectively."

"Says the number one student in the whole school," Kazuya brags.

"Why do you always have to mention that?" Yukari asks with a roll of her eyes.

"NUMBER ONE?!"

"Oi, Ichikawa! Mind checking my English homework?" Youichi asks.

"Ah, mine too, Ichikawa!" Nori says.

"Sure," Yukari says as she accepts Youichi and Nori's homework. She reads through their work and tells them which ones they got wrong, and asks them to correct them.

"Yukihime-senpai! Please tutor me!" Sawamura requests, bowing his head low.

"Geh! Teme! What's that supposed to mean?!" Kanemaru asks in offense.

"No way," Yukari says. Sawamura flinches and slumps on the table, "I'm open for questions, but I don't do tutoring. It's too much work for me," she then stands up from her seat, pulling herself away from Kazuya, "Youichi-kun, Nori, do you have any problems?"

"Nope! Thanks, Ichikawa!" Youichi says with a grin.

"I'm fine, Ichikawa. Thanks," Nori says with a smile.

"Okay," Yukari says and then she turns back to look at the first years, "Do you guys have any more questions? I'm not taking any once I'm out of here," the first years shake their heads and she turns her attention to Kazuya. She properly puts his beanie back onto his head, her left hand lingering on his right cheek as she says, "I'm returning to my room."

"Okay. Good night, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says with a soft smile.

"Yeah. Good night," Yukari answers as she leaves the room.

"Miyuki, you lucky bastard… I want a girlfriend too…"

"They're so sickening, hyahaha!"

"I've never seen Miyuki-senpai smile like that…"

"I know, usually he always has a nasty smirk…"

"E-Eijun-kun…"

"It makes him look like a nice guy…"

"Oi, I can hear you guys."

xXx

On the next practice, Jun and Tetsu seem to have rediscovered their spirits. Yukari watches in half-awe, half-amusement as Tetsu stands in front of a fence with his bat for ten minutes with his eyes closed. She walks around the field to watch the other players, and when she returns to where Tetsu is, he's still in the same position. He then swings his bat and Yukari has to wince at the sudden wind from the sheer power of his swing.

"Alright. That was a good practice," Yukari hears Tetsu say. She scoffs. _I still can't understand his practice method._

Yukari continues her patrol and sees the head coach with Masuko who is practicing batting. She also sees Haruichi doing the same, making contact after contact. _As I thought, he's just as good as Ryou-nii in terms of making contact with the ball. This will definitely motivate other players, especially since he's still a first year._

She continues her rounds towards the bullpen and sees Furuya and Sawamura with Chris and Kazuya. She winces when Furuya throws a high ball, "That was a homer, Furuya. Don't you learn anything?" Yukari says. Furuya turns to look at her with a discouraged pout.

"Wanna stop now?" Kazuya threatens, much to Furuya's dismay, "Did you forget the game against Kiryu already? You're not gonna throw well if you're too tense," he says as he throws the ball back to Furuya. He then crouches down again, "Just throw low and carefully. What you need right now is control and pacing."

Furuya nods and winds up. He throws, and the ball arrives smoothly in Kazuya's mitt. At Furuya's shocked look, Yukari smirks.

"Nice ball," Kazuya says, "Don't forget that feeling," he says as he throws the ball back.

"Good job, Furuya," Chris says, "Until Tanba comes back, you and Kawakami will be really busy. You want to avoid needlessly getting tired."

Furuya nods. Yukari then hears Sawamura yelling from outside the bullpen. Apparently Chris is having him throw to a net instead of a catcher. Chris gives him his feedback without even looking at the southpaw. Yukari approves of this training. Unlike Furuya, Sawamura's form is still unstable. Without a stable form, it will be hard for him to gain control of the ball.

"Anyway, Chris-senpai, I want you to take a look at this," Yukari says as she hands over two sheets of paper containing Sawamura's training menu and Furuya's respectively, "I've incorporated your feedback into it, so I think it's better now."

Chris reads through the training menu and nods, "This is good, Ichikawa. Thank you."

"Well, I'm gonna leave you now. Don't overwork yourselves and make more work for me," Yukari says as she walks away. When Rei notices her, she waves her over and brings her to the viewer's room. She's very pleasantly surprised with the person greeting her, she can't help but smile.

"Tanba-san…!"

Tanba turns to look at the door when she and Rei walk into the room, and he smiles back at Yukari, "Hey, Ichikawa."

"Nice hair," Yukari smirks at his lack of hair.

"Shut up," Tanba says with a blush.

"How's the injury doing?" Kataoka asks.

"Yes. The pain has decreased significantly," Tanba answers, "Starting tomorrow, please let me join practice."

"W-What are you saying, Tanba? It may not be swollen, but it's still cracked! I know how you feel, but don't push yourself!" Oota says.

"I don't want to hinder the team any more than I already have," Tanba says.

 _Tanba-san_ …

"Ichikawa."

"Yes, Kantoku?"

"What do you think?"

Yukari sighs and approaches Tanba, "May I see?"

"Yeah, sure," Tanba says. Yukari checks on his injury and asks him some questions regarding it, and then she bites her lower lip.

"How is it?" Kataoka asks.

Yukari sighs and says, "It does look better than it did a couple of days ago… but I wouldn't recommend going into practice immediately. It still needs some time to heal better."

Tanba looks crestfallen as Kataoka says, "Okay," the head coach then looks at Tanba and says, "The quarter final. Come back by the quarter final where we'll most likely face Ichidaisan High. In your best condition," he then looks straight at Tanba, "Everyone is fighting, believing you'll be back. That's why you need to trust them too."

xXx

The next week, the final exam results are being announced. As usual, Yukari's name sits on the very top of the list that is posted on the bulletin board that she always ignores. She'll never admit it if she's asked, but she is honestly quite worried about Sawamura and Furuya's test results. So the first thing she does is to approach the two of them before the practice starts.

"Sawamura. Furuya," Yukari calls out. The two first year pitchers turn around at her voice, and Furuya visibly flinches. She narrows her eyes at them, "How's your test results?"

Furuya avoids her eyes, while Sawamura grins at her, "Hehe… look at this, Yukihime-senpai! I aced them!" he says as he hands over his test results. She takes them from him and rolls her eyes when she sees his results.

"Your highest score is 40. You just barely passed them," Yukari says coldly. When she sees Sawamura slumping, she sighs, "But you did pass them. So good job. I expect better scores next time, though."

Sawamura beams and salutes her, "Yes, ma'am!"

"What about you, Furuya?" she asks as she turns to look at the dark haired boy who keeps avoiding her eyes. When he ignores her, she turns to his classmate, "Haru-kun?"

"Ah…" Haruichi says, "It wasn't good."

"He didn't pass them?" Yukari narrows her eyes at Furuya, "How are you gonna focus on the tournament if you have to do make-up tests before them?" she sighs, "Ask Kazuya for his first year notes later. Study them properly so you can pass the make-up tests, Furuya."

"Eh? Why Miyuki-senpai's?"

"Are you saying you're confident that you can read my handwriting, Sawamura?" Yukari asks with a challenging smirk, to which Sawamura shudders at, "He always copies my notes, and then all the second years copy his. So if he doesn't have his notes, you can ask any other second years. But if you don't do well on the make-up, I'll tell them to stop showing you their notes, got it?" she asks Furuya.

"Yes," Furuya nods, "Thank you, Ichikawa-senpai."

"Okay, go ahead guys. Kantoku is waiting for you," Yukari says as she waves off the first years.

The practice starts with the passing off of the uniform numbers. As promised, Tanba receives the ace number. She knows he's disappointed in her and Kantoku's decision of having him rest for a little bit more, but she hopes that he'll see that their decision is for his own good. She watches in amusement as his fellow first string players make fun of his shaved head.

The passing out of the numbers continue. Furuya moves up from number 18 to number 11, and Yukari smirks in amusement when Kataoka tells him to do his make-up tests well. Haruichi gets number 19 and Sawamura gets number 20 – not before making a scene first. Seeing him holding his number close to his chest, Yukari smirks at the first year southpaw.

"For scorekeeper… Chris, can you do it?" Kataoka asks.

"Yes, sir," Chris says with a nod.

"On-site trainer…" Kataoka says. Yukari's eyes widen slightly. This is the first time an on-site trainer has ever been mentioned, because usually her presence in the dugout is always treated as a given. She is taken aback when she sees what's in his hand; a uniform number with a red cross on it instead of a number. Usually, she wears an armband with a red cross on her right arm as identification, but it broke a couple of days ago. The head coach smirks and says, "Ichikawa. We're counting on you."

Yukari sighs and smiles softly, "Yes, sir," she says as she receives her 'number'. She can't help but feel giddy just by looking at it. Ever since receiving her Seidou uniform on her second year with the team, it never has a number adorning its back. It may not be a number, but at least her game uniform won't be so plain now. She understands how Sawamura feels.

The first string players can't help but smile when they see Yukari looking at her own 'number' so fondly. They have never really seen that look on her face before, which could only mean that she must be sincerely happy to have received that number. It was actually their idea to give her the number since they noticed that she stopped wearing her armband, and suggested giving her a red cross as her uniform number to Rei. The scout willingly agreed and made arrangements for it.

"And the managers," Kataoka calls out, "You've all been a great help. Ichikawa."

"Yes, sir," Yukari says with a smirk. She takes a pile of Seidou uniform and he takes one of them and shows it to the managers.

"Game uniforms?"

"You'll cheer on the team from the bleachers as part of the team, won't you?" Kataoka asks.

Seeing the look on the manager's faces, Yukari can't help but smile. She knows how they feel; she's sure she's feeling the same thing right now. She has always felt like a team player, but getting a uniform number or a game uniform just solidifies that fact. She gives the managers their uniforms and laughs when she sees Takako tearing up.

"Takako-san, get a hold of yourself," Yukari says in amusement.

"Ah, Takako-senpai, you're crying!" Yui says.

"I'm not crying!" Takako denies.

"I get it. I understand how you feel!" Haruno says.

"Shut up!" Takako says.

"Let's work hard together," Yukari says with a smile.

"Yeah!" the managers say, nodding.

Yukari returns to her post beside Rei behind the coach with her poker face back on. Kataoka steps forward, "I'm sure you all understand, but there's no second chance in high school baseball. Our hard work and the sweat and tears we've shed have all been for this summer!"

Yukari flinches and glares coldly at one corner of the dugout where she sees the principal and vice principal peeking. When they notice her glaring at them, they jump and run away.

"Alright. Do the usual," Kataoka says. Yukari smirks as she watches them. _This really doesn't get old._ The twenty first string players gather round and shout the Seidou chant with their hands over their hearts.


	11. Chapter 11

**And so we've officially entered the regional tournament! I skipped the first two matches because, let's face it, the real action starts with Akikawa. So this chapter basically covers what happens before the match with Akikawa, and a little insight on Yukari and Kazuya's relationship. Hope you'll enjoy~**

* * *

Yukari comes with the team to Meiji Jingu Stadium for the opening of the summer regional tournament. With the heat and the amount of people, she is brought as a precaution should someone pass out from the heat. After the ceremony is done, she immediately hands a cold bottle of water to Furuya, who looks like he's about to keel over. Thankfully, he's the only one.

"Sawamura, get him out of here," Yukari says as she throws a cold towel to Furuya's face.

"Yes, ma'am! Tch. Listen, teme, I'm doing this because Yukihime-senpai told me to!" Sawamura says. Furuya doesn't seem to be listening. She walks with them towards where the Seidou players are and notices the Inajitsu players with them, "Ah! Inajitsu's spy! Are you here to spy on us again?!"

" _You're_ the one who willingly gave out our information, Sawamura," Yukari says coldly, "Speaking of which, I still haven't received your report."

"Geh!"

"Yukari-chan! Good afternoon!" Narumiya greets her with a bright smile.

"Good afternoon, Narumiya-kun. Please don't call me so familiarly," Yukari says automatically.

Narumiya pouts, "So cold… ah?!" He points at Sawamura, "You're on the first string?!"

"Indeed!" Sawamura answers.

"Just don't talk!" Kazuya says, much to Youichi's amusement.

"You guys had better not stumble before you play us," Harada says, ignoring the pitchers.

"Right back at ya!" Jun says.

"At the final," Harada says.

"Yeah. At the final," Tetsu says. Harada nods at him and at Yukari as he and his team continue their walk back to their bus.

"Sawamura, move your feet. Furuya's not gonna move his unless you do," Yukari says as she walks towards the bus.

xXx

Seidou's first game is against Maimon West High School, in which the game is called with the score of 17-0. At first, they couldn't score during the first inning, but thanks to Furuya's pitching, Maimon West was too intimidated to score. After Tetsu's at-bat, Seidou started gaining momentum and started scoring. With three pitchers on board and their ace out of commission, Seidou cycled through pitchers. They started with Furuya, continuing with Sawamura on the fourth inning, and ended the game with Nori.

Unfortunately, Yukari is not satisfied with the first year pitchers' performances. At all. Neither is Chris. After all the players are done showering and changing, Furuya and Sawamura are called to face Yukari, Kazuya, Chris, Miyauchi, and Nori in the bullpen.

"It was a crucial first game, and you were both too tense," Chris starts, "Sawamura. The double play was nice, but the two walks you gave away immediately after were unnecessary. Furuya. If we continue to win, our opponents will have done their research. The way you pitched today won't work."

"Don't you two know what 'control' means?" Kazuya asks.

"Don't be loud in the bullpen. It's annoying," Miyauchi scolds.

"What if the batter had been Alex Cabrera?" Chris asks.

"Rei-san said that Ichidaisan's batting has improved since spring, and their ace Manaka-san is in top notch condition. With the way you're playing right now, forget about Koshien; winning against Ichidaisan would be just another pipe dream," Yukari says honestly. Sawamura and Furuya flinch. She shrugs, "Well, we still have two games before that, and we don't even know if we're going to go up against Ichidaisan, but it doesn't change the fact that you both _sucked_."

Nori and Miyauchi wince at Yukari's words. Even after some time working with her, there are still some people who can't get used to her bluntness. Chris and Kazuya are not part of that group, though. They know that her words are true and said for the sake of the players.

Sawamura looks up defiantly at Yukari, "B-But I managed to get those outs!"

Furuya pouts, "And I didn't let anyone get on base…"

"Oh, is that so?" Yukari asks, not sounding the slightest bit convinced. She then leans down to look at the two pitchers in their eyes one by one, "Then can you look me in the eye and say that you were satisfied with your performance today?" Sawamura and Furuya flinch and avoid her eyes, "We want to go to Koshien. We don't need players who are just going to hold us back."

This time, all the players in the bullpen wince at Yukari's words.

"If you don't want to hold us back… you know what to do," Yukari adds. She suddenly flinches violently as her 'principal-and-vice-principal' radar rings. She turns to look at the field and glares coldly at the direction of the principal and vice principal who are walking towards Kataoka. She crosses her arms as a cold aura envelops the bullpen. The players within it shudder when they feel it. When she sees Kataoka glaring at them and they flinch at it, she smirks.

"I-Ichikawa…?" Nori asks tentatively, to which Yukari ignores.

Chris smirks, "Hmph. She still hates them, huh…?"

"I don't like them either, so I understand her feelings," Miyauchi says.

"Y-Yuka-chan… calm down," Kazuya says as he puts a hand on her shoulder. Under his touch, she significantly relaxes. He waits for a while before asking, "Are you calm?"

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it through her mouth, "Yeah. Thanks, Kazuya."

"Magic hands! Is he a magician?!" Sawamura wonders.

"It's not cold anymore…" Furuya says in amazement.

xXx

The next day during lunch time, Yukari walks down the hallway towards Class 2-B with a box of bento in her hand. Some of the people who are not intimidated by her greet her and wishes the baseball team luck for the game tomorrow. She answers them with a grateful nod. When she arrives in front of Class 2-B, she can see Kazuya and Youichi clearly. As usual, Youichi is holding Kazuya by his shirt collar.

"They're fighting again…"

"But they're always together…"

"They don't have any friends…"

Yukari knocks lightly on the door, gaining the attention of the girls standing near it. She ignores their flinch and glare as she says, "Excuse me," and she nonchalantly walks into the classroom and approaches the two fighting teens.

"It's kind of unbelievable that Miyuki-kun and Ichikawa are dating, isn't it?"

"I know, she's so cold…"

"But a lot of boys seem to like her. I wonder why…?"

"I feel kinda bad for Miyuki-kun. He's so lively and warm, but he has to put up with his girlfriend's coldness…"

Yukari doesn't bother listening to those words. She's far too used to them; she's grown to tune those kinds of words out. She silently puts one of the bento boxes she brought onto Kazuya's table, "Here, your lunch."

"Thanks, Yuka-chan!" Kazuya says as he opens his bento box. He brightens up when he sees the contents, "Whoa, it looks good!"

"Heeh, it doesn't look half bad. Can I have some, Ichikawa?" Youichi asks.

"Ask Kazuya. It's his," Yukari says before waving over her shoulders as she walks out of the classroom, "I'll see you guys later at practice," she says before she has to witness Youichi and Kazuya fighting over her home-cooked food.

"Yuka-chan, wait!" Kazuya says as he shoves a tamagoyaki into Youichi's mouth to shut him up. She stops in her tracks and turns around as he walks towards her.

"What is it?" she asks. She frowns a little when Kazuya leans down to shorten the distance between their faces. They eye each other silently for a while before Kazuya sneaks a surprise kiss on Yukari's cheek. Not only Yukari, but also the students in the class are shocked at the sudden PDA. She flinches and immediately covers the cheek he kissed with her hand.

"Wha… What the hell was that?!" Yukari asks with a bright blush on her face.

"I just wanted to thank you for the bento. Seeing you surprised was just a bonus," Kazuya grins. Yukari doesn't know it, but he also heard about what the girls in his class said about their relationship. He also heard the bit about his girlfriend being liked by a lot of boys, and it tickled his slight jealous streak. Not to mention he just wants to get a reaction out of her.

"Y-You…" Yukari growls.

"As I thought…" Kazuya says before he leans forward to whisper in Yukari's ear, "So cute," Yukari blushes even brighter, if it was possible. Kazuya laughs, "Your face is the same color as your hair, I love it."

"You guys are sickening!" Youichi yells.

"Shut up," Kazuya and Yukari say at the same time.

Yukari glares at Kazuya, her cheeks still aflame, "You shut up too!" she says as she walks away from the classroom faster than when she entered it, "…idiot…" she mumbles as she leaves.

Kazuya grins smugly as he waves at Yukari, "See you at practice, Yuka-chan."

The girls who had been trash talking Yukari eye each other.

"…that was actually kinda cute…"

"I didn't know their relationship was like that…"

"I didn't know Ichikawa and Miyuki-kun can even act like that…"

xXx

A month after the dead ball incident, Tanba's doctor and Yukari give him the green light to start entering the bullpen to practice. Just in case anything happens, she enters the bullpen and joins Kataoka as Tanba starts warming up with Kazuya. Yukari stands near Kazuya to watch Tanba's pitches from the catcher's side.

"Throw cautiously as you check how it feels," Kataoka says, "Once your shoulder's warmed up, let Miyuki sit and throw."

"Yes, sir," Tanba says.

Kazuya punches his mitt, "Tanba-san, one more!" he calls out. Tanba smirks and throws. Yukari notices Kazuya's miniscule frown, "Nice ball! It's slowly looking better!" he says as he throws the ball back to Tanba.

"It's nowhere near as good as before the incident, though," Yukari says under her breath, but Kazuya can hear her.

"Spare his feelings a little, Yuka-chan…" Kazuya says.

"I wonder if it's too early to let him back to practice…" Yukari wonders.

"Well, if he wants to go up against Ichidaisan, he has to start practicing now," Kazuya says, "This tournament means a lot to him."

"I know that. I hope that when he's warmed up, he'll throw better," Yukari says, "There are only two more games until the quarterfinals. We can't lose," she says, "One more, Tanba-san," she calls out. Tanba nods and pitches again. Yukari nods and catches Kataoka's eyes, "Kantoku, I'm going to start my rounds."

Kataoka nods, "Go ahead. Thank you, Ichikawa."

"Don't thank me for doing my job, Kantoku," Yukari says with a smirk. She then looks at Tanba, "If you feel any kind of pain, come find me, Tanba-san. Good luck with practice."

"Yeah. Thanks, Ichikawa," Tanba says with a smile.

"I'll see you later," Yukari whispers to Kazuya.

"Yeah, see you," Kazuya says before returning his focus back on Tanba, "One more, Tanba-san!"

Yukari leaves the bullpen and starts her rounds.

xXx

The next day is Seidou's second match, and it's against Murata East. Furuya's pitching manages to shut them down, but Yukari is far from being pleased. Yes, some of his pitches are within the strike zone, but he still throws too many balls for her liking. Most of the strikes he got are from swung balls. Not to mention he's not pacing himself well. The game ends up being called after Murata East lost by 10 runs after Tetsu's two-run homer at the end of the fifth inning.

After the game is done, the players filter out of the stadium to let the next schools prepare themselves. As usual, Seidou's supporters gather outside of the stadium and shout encouragement at the passing players. Some of the girls who came even squeal their favorite players' name whenever they pass by them.

"Okay. Everyone is here," Kataoka says as he approaches the players with Oota in tow, "After you finish stretching, grab lunch at the bleachers."

"Yes, sir!"

"We're all staying to watch the next game," Kataoka informs, "The team that wins will be our next opponent."

After they all finish stretching and getting changed, the players (plus Yukari, who has also redressed herself with her school uniform) re-enter the stadium to the bleachers. Yukari prepares her notes as she sits in between Haruichi and Kazuya who are eating their lunches.

"Take a good look at Akikawa Gakuen's pitcher. He has something you guys don't have," Kazuya tells the two first year pitchers sitting sandwiched between him and Chris.

"An exchange student from Taiwan, You Shunshin, second year," Chris reads from his notes.

"He's not Japanese?" Sawamura asks.

"He originally came to learn Japanese, but he was introduced to Japanese baseball and fell in love with it," Chris explains, "He stays later than anyone at practice and he studies more than anyone to make Japanese baseball his own. He has hunger. He has that untouchable aura and amazing control from his everyday practice. People call him… Clockwork."

"Clockwork?" Sawamura and Furuya wonder.

"Just like people call me _Seidou no Yukihime_ because of my coldness…" Yukari starts, gaining the two pitchers' attention, "You Shunshin got his nickname because of his unbelievable ball control."

The game ends with Akikawa's win with the score of 3-0.

"3-0. They defended their early game runs," Chris says, "After they scored, the fielders started playing differently."

"Yeah. Controlling in and out and keeping the pitch low," Jun comments, "The other team only got five hits. Just shows how much faith the team has in him. The game's three days from now, on a Wednesday, and this one won't be so easy."

The players stand up from the bleachers and leave the stadium to return to the school for a much needed practice.

xXx

After dinner, Chris and Yukari gather everyone in the cafeteria for a strategy meeting. They stand in front of a white board with Kataoka and Rei while the players are facing them.

"Their ace, You, doesn't throw many breaking balls, but he's thrown curveballs and forkballs to get the strikes," Chris says as he reads from his notes, "His speed is only around 130 km/h, but what we need to worry about is his clockwork-like control."

Yukari approaches the white board and she notices Youichi flinching. She rolls her eyes as she sighs, "That's rude, Youichi-kun; I'm not going to write anything," she says. Again, she rolls her eyes when she notices him sighing in relief. She knows that her handwriting is horrible, but she can't help but feel a little bit offended at Youichi's overreaction. He seems to notice it, and lifts a hand in apology. Yukari smirks back at him, and just like that, he's forgiven.

She proceeds to draw nine squares to represent a strike zone. After she's done, she takes a couple of blue colored round magnets and puts one on the top left, two on the top right, three on the bottom left, and two in the bottom right, "From in-high to out-low, and out-high to in-low. He uses the diagonal very well to keep the batters guessing," she meets Chris' eye, and they nod at each other, "He'll probably never throw anything near the middle."

"The key to beating him will be how well you can stick to your swings without being tossed about by his corner pitches," Chris says.

"Swinging with hesitation will only give more confidence to the pitcher. No matter what he throws, swing without hesitation. You must remember that," Kataoka says, "One more thing. To put damage on a clever pitcher like him…" he eyes Youichi and Ryousuke, "We need speed and bunts."

Youichi and Ryousuke return Kataoka's look with a smirk.

"You two can put pressure on him by getting on base."

"Yes, sir!"

xXx

Practice the next afternoon is filled with reporters and scouts from pro teams. Rei asks for Yukari's help to greet them and warn them not to disturb practice, much to her annoyance. If she doesn't respect her so much, Yukari would shirk her responsibilities. The usual batting lineup is practicing their batting and bunting, but she notices that most of the reporters are crowding around the bullpen. She knows that everyone is curious about Furuya.

Yukari is currently making her rounds in the bullpen, and she sees Kanemaru batting for Sawamura, clad in catcher protective gear. She feels bad for him. Since Sawamura lacks in control, getting hit by the ball is a huge possibility.

"Teme! Where are you throwing?! Are you trying to hit me?!" Kanemaru protests.

"My bad!" Sawamura apologizes.

"Thank you, Kanemaru, for volunteering to do this tough job," Chris, who is catching for Sawamura, says.

"Not at all. It'll be better practice is a batter is standing here," Kanemaru says, "Not to mention seven out of the nine Akikawa batters are lefties. He might be asked to pitch since he's a lefty. Though I'm sure the possibility is close to none," he takes his position once again, "Come at me, Sawamura! I'm not afraid of your pitch at all!"

Sawamura smirks, "Here I come! Right on the inside!" he shouts as he pitches. Yukari winces as the ball hits Kanemaru.

She sighs, "If that was your inside pitch, I don't wanna see the outside pitch," she says as she approaches Kanemaru, "Kanemaru, you okay?"

"I-I'm fine, Ichikawa-senpai…" Kanemaru grits his teeth, "Teme! You threw that one on purpose!"

"Sorry!"

"Nice ball!" she hears Miyauchi call out to Nori. The two batteries are the only ones in the bullpen, since Tanba is throwing into the net with the head coach outside of it. _But where's Furuya?_ Yukari wonders.

"Good luck, Kanemaru," Yukari says.

"Thank you, Ichikawa-senpai. I'm going to need it…" Kanemaru says.

"Chris-senpai, I'll be doing my rounds now," Yukari says.

"Yeah, sure," Chris says.

Yukari leaves the bullpen and starts to look for Furuya.

"Oh? Yuka-chan?" Yukari turns to see her boyfriend walking towards her, "Are you doing your rounds? You've worked hard."

"Thanks. Furuya's not with you?" Yukari asks. She frowns in confusion when Kazuya looks annoyed.

"I can't find him anywhere," Kazuya growls.

Yukari raises an eyebrow, "Seriously? I thought that he would be forcing you to catch his pitches at this point," she says as she wipes the sweat from her chin. _Today's really hot…_ she thinks. She winces a bit when she feels a jolt of pain from her chest. She ignores it as she suggests, "Let's go look for him together."

"Yeah, thanks, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as they walk towards the indoor practice building. Yukari can't help but sigh in relief when she feels the coolness of the room compared with the hotness of the outside.

"Ah…" Yukari exclaims when she sees Furuya sleeping on one of the benches. Kazuya growls in annoyance.

"He's taking a nap and he's not even hiding…" Kazuya growls lowly as he shakes in anger.

At the unusual display of anger, Yukari steps slightly away from her boyfriend, "K-Kazuya, calm down…"

"WAKE UP!" Yukari winces at the volume of Kazuya's voice. Furuya snaps awake from his slumber, "You'd better be done with running!"

Furuya sits up from his position and says, "I am."

"Then hurry up and get out there! You need to pitch in the bullpen!" Kazuya says.

"No, it's hot today… I'll be there in a little while," Furuya says.

"Of course it's hot! It's summer!" Kazuya says as he practically drags Furuya out of the building, Yukari following them, "You didn't finish your meal yesterday, either. If you don't eat right, you're not gonna last. You're gonna burden Yuka-chan too."

"Sorry… Ichikawa-senpai…" Furuya mumbles weakly.

Yukari shakes her head, "Don't worry about it," she says, "Furuya… you okay?" she frowns in worry when he doesn't seem to have heard her. _This year's summer is hotter than ever. He's been holed up in a cool place and doesn't finish his meal like he usually does…_ Her eyes widen in realization, and her eyes meet Kazuya's shocked ones. She knows that he has also come to the same realization as her.

 _That's right… this is Furuya's first summer in Tokyo. The temperature here is naturally higher than Hokkaido. He might not be used to the temperature here…_ Yukari thinks, "Are you going to pitch now, Furuya?"

"Eh? I am…"

"Then meet me after you're done," Yukari says, "Kazuya, I'm counting on you."

"Yeah," Kazuya says as they make their way towards the bullpen. Furuya starts to pitch to Kazuya, and Yukari notices that his pitches still have power in them. Yukari is relieved that he manages to change gears the second he holds a ball, but she can't help but be worried about him. She needs to prepare so that he doesn't get dehydrated. They can't have him down when Tanba still can't play in a match.

After only a couple of pitches, Yukari and Kazuya's eyes meet and they nod at each other.

"Okay, let's call it a day," Kazuya says as he stands up. He and Yukari walk towards a confused Furuya.

"Eh? I can still pitch," Furuya insists.

"It's fine," Kazuya says, "Just cool down and be done."

"Furuya, come with me," Yukari says as she practically drags him to the dugout. She gives him a cold bottle of water, wets some towel in cold water, and prepares his shoulder ice pack. While he puts his shoulder pack on, she wraps some cold towel around his neck and stomach.

When he sighs in relief, she sighs in exasperation, "The summer this year's harsh. It must be hard to get used to this heat since Hokkaido is much cooler. You need to start telling me when you feel that it's too hot. I don't want to find out when you pass out from heatstroke or dehydration. That would be way more troublesome."

"…I'm sorry, Ichikawa-senpai…" Furuya says, and he actually looks apologetic. Yukari can't stay mad at him when he looks like that.

She sighs, "It's fine. It's a good thing Kazuya and I realized it before something worse happens."

Furuya's eyes widen when he looks at Yukari, "Miyuki-senpai also knows?"

"Why do you think he stopped you from throwing more?" Yukari asks rhetorically. Furuya looks down again, "Despite what everyone thinks, Kazuya isn't all that heartless, you know," she says as she puts her things away, "For now, just cool down. And eat your meals properly. I know that the heat makes you lose your appetite, but you'll pass out faster if you don't eat."

"Yes… I'm sorry, Ichikawa-senpai."

"And stop apologizing. It's annoying," Yukari says as she walks away from a perplexed Furuya.

During dinner, the players all have a content look on their faces when they feel the blast of cool air from the extra fans that Yukari requested a couple of days ago without their knowledge.


	12. Chapter 12

A day before the match against Akikawa, the head coach ends the practice early, much to Sawamura's annoyance. But after Yukari tells him that he would be in trouble if he overworks himself, he shuts up. Some of the players go to the cafeteria to re-watch the Akikawa video, while Ryousuke asks Haruichi to join him during tee-batting, which brings a smile to Yukari's face, and as per usual, Sawamura bugs Kazuya to catch for him.

"Furuya, let's pitch a few after the sun sets," Kazuya offers, ignoring Sawamura, "I wanna see how your forkball is, too. Come with us, Yuka-chan."

"Yeah, I will," Yukari says. She then turns to look at Furuya, "But don't go all out, okay? I don't want to drag your unconscious body to your dorm."

She never told Furuya, but Yukari has actually told Rei and Kataoka about Furuya's situation. She told them that his fatigue gets worse as the temperature rises, yet he hasn't lost power in his pitches. She also told Kataoka that she will leave the decision in his hands.

That night, after she's done with Kazuya and Furuya, Yukari comes with Chris, Kanemaru, and Sawamura to watch Sawamura's pitching. As usual, he almost always hits Kanemaru, who is, again, wearing a complete protective gear.

"Sawamura, four-seam," Chris commands as he throws the ball back.

"Yes!" Sawamura answers as he catches the ball. He positions his grip on the ball with a huge grin on his face, and proudly shows it to Chris when he's done.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "You'd better not do that in games, Sawamura."

"Eh?!"

"Let's be done after ten pitches," Chris says, "That would be enough, right, Ichikawa?"

"Yes. I need to rest soon," Yukari says as she yawns, "Make this quick, Sawamura."

"Go ahead," Chris says as he gets ready to catch. Sawamura winds up and pitches. The ball lands in Chris' mitt right next to Kanemaru's knee.

"Teme! You don't care if you hit me, do you?!"

"Eh?! Should I?!"

"Of course you should!"

Yukari hears someone coming, and turns her head towards the source of the footsteps. She bows slightly at Kataoka.

"Inside pitch practice towards left-handed batters… are you practicing for the Akikawa lineup?" he asks as he approaches them.

"S-Shogun!" Sawamura exclaims. Yukari raises an eyebrow. _Another new nickname for Kantoku?_

"Who are you calling 'Shogun'? Goodness…" Kataoka says, looking rather annoyed, "Isn't it a little late to be practicing, Chris, Ichikawa?"

"My apologies," Chris says.

"Don't get carried away," Kataoka says. He then eyes Sawamura at the corner of his eyes, "Oi," he says to Kanemaru, "Give me your bat and helmet."

"Eh? Wait, K-Kantoku…"

Yukari's eyes widen at his words. She's not the only one shocked as the head coach takes Kanemaru's bat and helmet and puts it on. He stands in the left batter box and gets ready to hit.

"Show me your inside pitch."

"I-It's not safe! That helmet won't save you when his pitch hits you!" Kanemaru warns him.

"I don't care," Kataoka says fearlessly, "Come!"

"Seriously…?"

Yukari scoffs and smirks, "Just stay put and watch, Kanemaru."

"B-But…"

"It's okay," she says. _I'm sure that Kantoku has a reason to do this. I wonder if he's seeing if Sawamura will be useful tomorrow because Furuya is currently not as reliable as usual._

On the corner of her eye, she notices someone leaning against the fence near the lights. Kazuya. She looks around the perimeter and sees someone practicing batting on the side. Masuko. She also notices two people batting towards the net. Kominato brothers. Far outside the field, she sees Tetsu on his way home. She smirks. _What good timing, everyone._

"What's wrong?" Kataoka taunts since Sawamura hasn't moved, "Hurry up and pitch. Are you afraid of hitting me?"

 _What pressure… but if he can throw a nice inside pitch under this kind of pressure, he'd do fine in a real match_ , Yukari thinks. She smirks when she sees Sawamura's grin as he winds up and pitches.

xXx

Fuchu Municipal Stadium is the silent witness of the matches between Seidou vs. Akikawa and Ichidaisan vs. Yakushi High School. Unfortunately for Furuya, the temperature is not on his side. It's only 9 o'clock in the morning, and it's already too hot for Yukari's liking, which is shown by her higher-than-usual ponytail. She is worried that the extra ice she brought will melt before they can be used.

She stands beside Chris, Kataoka, and Oota in front of the players with her Seidou game uniform on, using her notebook as a fan.

"We'll play like we talked in the meeting. Don't forget to check the signs," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir!"

"Ichikawa will make sure that you stay hydrated and the players in the dugout should support those playing by any means."

"Yes, sir!"

"From this point on, we need everyone's strength to win! The starter is Furuya!"

"Yes, sir," Furuya answers.

"And then Kawakami and Sawamura, be ready to go anytime!"

"Yes, sir!" The two pitchers answer.

"Ah? Did he just say Sawamura?" Youichi wonders, "That's unexpected. I wonder if something happened with the coach yesterday, or it wouldn't make sense, right?"

Yukari smirks. _Sharp as usual, aren't you? If only you knew, Youichi-kun…_ From the corner of her eye, she can see Tanba brooding at his name not being called. Jun then puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Why are you hiding in the corner?" Jun asks.

"Make sure you stay inside the dugout, Pikaichiro. You're blinding," Ryousuke says, using his newly made nickname for Tanba.

"Careful not to burn your head with no hair protection," Masuko says.

"You guys…" Tanba says in astonishment.

Tetsu puts a hand on his shoulder too, "Let's go!"

The players all filter into the stadium followed by the coach, Chris, Yukari, and Oota. As they enter the dugout, Yukari notices the sheer difference in the amount of supporters between Seidou and Akikawa. _They could be in summer class… as expected from a prestigious school_ , she thinks as she continues to fan herself. _Geez, it's still early but it's already this hot… we're lucky we got to play the earlier game…_

The two teams line up and bow before the game. Seidou is on the defense first. Furuya walks the first batter since he didn't swing on any of Furuya's high pitches.

"He didn't even swing once," Chris comments.

"Yeah," Kataoka says. Yukari focuses on the batter and notices that like the first one, this one also holds his bat long. _They don't seem to have any intention on swinging_ at all _,_ she eyes Furuya worriedly. _They plan on raising his pitch count and tiring him out. If this goes on, he'll be benched faster than he's supposed to_ , she thinks as she takes a deep breath and exhales it. _Well, our opponents can't swing on his high balls forever… this would be a good time to actually teach him real ball control._

Yukari watches as Furuya winds up for the fifth pitch. The count is three balls and one strike. _I think it's time to loosen up those shoulders… a splitter would be good now,_ Yukari thinks. She smirks when he throws exactly the ball she was thinking of.The ball bounces on the ground before Kazuya catches it. The second batter is walked to first base.

They're up against the cleanup batters now. _Ask for the splitter again, Kazuya… we need him relaxed,_ Yukari thinks as she takes her pencil from her right ear. She remembers last night before she goes out to watch Sawamura's pitching.

 _Yukari is alternating between writing down notes and drawing the trajectory of Furuya's splitter as he continues to pitch to Kazuya's mitt._

" _Sheesh… your drop is inconsistent, so it's really hard to catch," Kazuya complains, "But you're able to throw relaxed when you throw this."_

" _If only you could throw your fastball the same way…" Yukari says without looking up from her notes. Furuya flinches as Kazuya laughs._

" _Took the words right out of my mouth!" Kazuya says as he throws the ball back to Furuya, "Let's end this soon."_

" _Yeah, I still need to check on Sawamura after this. I don't wanna sleep too late," Yukari says as she yawns._

" _You seem to be sleepier these days, Yuka-chan," Kazuya comments._

" _I know. I seem to get tired easier these days," Yukari says offhandedly, "Maybe I need some exercise."_

" _But I haven't thrown a pitch I'm satisfied with…" Furuya says, "Please let me throw a little more."_

" _No way," Yukari says sternly, "We have a game tomorrow," she rolls her eyes when Furuya ignores her._

 _Kazuya laughs, "I think this is the first time I've seen him ignore you, Yuka-chan!"_

" _Throwing as hard as I can is the only thing I can do," Furuya says under his breath, but Kazuya and Yukari can hear him clearly in the silent indoor practice building, "I will throw as much as I can if it means helping the team."_

 _Yukari sighs, "I understand your feelings. But if you go all out now, you'll make problems for the team tomorrow. You wanna help the team, right? How can you help if you'll be useless tomorrow?" Furuya looks up at her with wide eyes. Kazuya puts a hand on his shoulder._

" _Yuka-chan is right. You keep that feeling inside of you for tomorrow's game. No matter what happens tomorrow, we'll support you the best we can," Kazuya says._

Furuya pitches another splitter and Yukari smirks as she draws the trajectory of the ball. It looks better than before, and it's a strike. The next one is a fastball right down the middle, and it's another strike. _His shoulder's relaxed now_.

"He's finally throwing strikes," Oota comments. The next pitch is a ball, but the last one is a strike and it outs the batter.

One out.

xXx

After giving up two walks, Furuya continues his strikeout streak with the fourth batter. The next batter up is You Shunshin.

"That You player has been a key player in scoring runs for their team," Chris explains, "If we want to stop Akikawa from building momentum, we have to get him out here."

"Yeah," Kataoka agrees. Yukari bites her lower lip as she eyes Kazuya.

 _Kazuya… you have to lead Furuya through this. Only you can do it_ , she thinks as she eyes You's batting form. _It seems like he's going to go for it… give him a high fastball to the middle_ , she thinks. Furuya winds up and pitches. You swings but it's a ball, so it's called a strike. What worries Yukari the most is that You already has the timing down for his pitch.

The next pitch is another high ball, but it's on a weird track. Yukari frowns. _He's tense again. Could it be that he's intimidated by You? Get him to relax again, Kazuya… we can't let him score._ Sawamura, the supporter on the bench, and the players on the field start shouting words of encouragement. _Don't worry too much, Furuya. You're not playing baseball alone. Relax and throw your arm down properly._

Furuya winds up and pitches. Yukari expected the ball to drop right in front of You, but it doesn't, and he hits it far.

"Left!" Kazuya shouts as Sakai runs for the ball.

"Don't risk it! Play safe!" Jun shouts as he goes for it too. Sakai dives for the ball but unfortunately misses it. Jun runs for the ball as he shouts out curses. He grabs the ball and throws it towards Kazuya, "You gotta be kidding me!"

Unfortunately, before the ball reaches Kazuya's mitt, the second runner has returned home.

Losing runs never feels good, but Yukari knows that Furuya can pick himself up just fine. She watches as Kazuya spreads his arms wide. Fortunately, he manages to out the next batter.

"What's Furuya's pitch count?" Kataoka asks.

"I counted twenty four," Chris says.

"Me too," Yukari answers, "He had to throw quite a lot."

The players return to the dugout while shouting encouragement to Furuya. Yukari stands up from her seat to give the players some towels and water. When they arrive, Tanba hands over a cup of water to Furuya.

"Switch your gears," Tanba says, "What you do after you give up a hit is what's important."

Yukari smirks as she watches them. _Tanba-san…_

"Listen up. When you give up a hit, blame Miyuki's lead. It makes switching gears easier," Tanba says. Kazuya chokes.

"I see…" Furuya says as he nods.

Yukari chuckles. Kazuya pouts at her, "Yuka-chan!"

"Isn't it you who said that you'd do anything to let a pitcher shine?" Yukari says as she throws a towel to his face. She helps him get his gear off and the bottom of the first starts with Youichi.

The Akikawa players seem to have done their research, as they warn the third base that he's going to bunt. Youichi then bunts the ball down the right foul line, but You chases after it himself and throws it towards first base, outing Youichi.

"They've done their research," Chris comments.

"He should've waited and let the first pitch go," Yukari adds.

Ryousuke is the next batter, and he tenaciously fouls all of You's pitches. Yukari shakes her head incredulously. _Ryou-nii, you're such a sadist…_ after seven fouls, You starts to throw balls. The last pitch looks like a ball, but the umpire calls it a strike and Ryousuke is out. Yukari narrows her eyes coldly as the players in the dugout flinch at the sudden coldness. _That umpire is starting to get on my nerves… no one can change my mind on this; getting the umpire on your side is a form of dirty play, even if it's unintentional._

xXx

Three innings in, and Seidou has yet to score. Despite Jun and Tetsu's batting at the bottom of first, luck was on Akikawa's side when the left fielder managed to catch the ball Tetsu hit by fluke. It's now the bottom of third and Seidou's turn for offense.

After outing Furuya, Akikawa manages to defend themselves when You outruns Youichi at the first base. During Ryousuke's at-bat, Yukari exudes her cold aura once again when the pitch that is a ball is called a strike. He manages to hit one ball, but it lands right in You's mitt. Time to change.

Yukari peeks from the dugout and winces when the blazing sunlight invades her eyes. _It's getting hotter…_ she then eyes Furuya. _Knowing him, he won't listen to me and tell me when he's at his limit…_

"So his pitch count is over sixty now?" Kataoka checks.

"Yes," Chris says, "At this rate, he'll reach 100 by the fifth inning. It's a difficult situation."

"Not to mention the temperature's rising. We don't know how long he'll last," Yukari adds as she wipes the sweat out of her forehead, panting slightly. She hisses softly when she feels a small jolt of pain in her chest.

"We can't give up any more runs," Oota says in panic, "Though it's still early on, we should think about switching him out. I know! Kawakami! Let's get Kawakami!"

Yukari rolls her eyes at Oota's blatant bias towards Nori. She has no problem with Nori, but sometimes Oota gives him too much credit that it pressures him. She returns her focus back to the game and widens her eyes when the next batter positions himself to bunt. When he doesn't bunt, Yukari clicks her tongue. _They're trying to tire him out with bunts too?_

For the second pitch, the batter does the same thing, but misses again. Furuya and Masuko have to run back and forth just in case the ball is hit, and Yukari doesn't like it one bit. _He can't help it. He knows that he doesn't have to run for the ball, but his body moves on its own. I just hope this doesn't make him stiff again…_ she glares at the Akikawa dugout. _You dirty little sneaks… doing whatever it takes to stop his momentum, huh…?_

"If Furuya allows a runner this inning, I'm switching him," Kataoka announces. His words shocks Chris and Oota, but Yukari saw this coming and she's actually on board with it, "I assume the Ichidaisan team is watching from the bleachers. We can't afford to show his weakness any further."

 _I agree. This has something to do with his future in the team. Not to mention I'm really worried that he's pushing himself too hard_ , Yukari thinks.

"I-It's Kawakami, right?" Oota suggests. Yukari rolls her eyes again, "It'll be a long relief for him, but we don't have anyone else."

"No, it's still early in the game," Kataoka says, "If we use Kawakami now, we'll fall right into their trap."

"Eh? B-But we don't have anyone else who could pitch in this…" Oota stops and gapes, "D-Don't tell me…" his eyes stop at Sawamura who is pitching in the bullpen, "EEEH?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

"Yes. I'm sending Sawamura out," Kataoka confirms, "Kominato, go tell Sawamura."

"Y-Yes, sir," Haruichi says as he puts his cap on and dashes towards the bullpen.

Yukari smirks as she watches Haruichi tell Sawamura about Kataoka's decision. She understands why the head coach is confident in letting Sawamura pitch in this game. After all, she was a witness to the decision making process. Seeing the coach come to Sawamura's practice yesterday actually raised her suspicion.

 _The reason why he came last night could be because he was already thinking about using Sawamura somewhere in the game. Not to mention having another active pitcher in games would totally change the mentality of the players_ , she smirks at Kataoka. _He truly believes that our batters can take back this game_ , she thinks as she eyes Sawamura in the bullpen. _Don't make Kantoku regret his decision, Sawamura._

Yukari returns her focus back to the game. For the last pitch, the batter positions for a bunt again, but Furuya manages to throw a strike, this time seemingly even faster than the ones before. _The more desperate he is, the more force he uses… what an idiot._ Even though Furuya manages to get the second out with the next batter, he walks the batter after the next. Even with the forkball, he doesn't loosen up.

Yukari puts her notebook and stationeries down as she gets a cold bottle of water from an ice box and dips some towel into the ice cold water. She also gets a shoulder pack ready. Kataoka steps out of the dugout and asks for a time out.

"Miyuki, pitcher change," Kataoka says, much to Furuya's astonishment. Sawamura runs into the mound, but Furuya won't hand over the ball.

"K-Kantoku, Furuya's not coming off the mound," Oota says.

Yukari wrings out the towel from the ice box until it's not too wet and waits for Furuya to return to the dugout. She watches from the dugout as Youichi and Ryousuke try to get him off the mound with their usual jokes, but suddenly their expression change. Yukari sighs as she watches Furuya finally giving the ball to Sawamura, albeit reluctantly.

The second Furuya takes his cap off once he reaches to dugout, he gets thrown back – literally – via the wet towel hitting him on his face, courtesy of Yukari. When he takes the towel off of his face, Yukari is eyeing him coldly as she approaches him. He looks down to his feet to avoid her eyes.

"This is what I mean by 'making problems for the team'," Yukari says, "Selfishly trying to keep your place in the mound while your pitches are getting worse isn't a way to help the team."

"I-Ichikawa…" Oota tries to stop her.

"Having said that," Yukari nudges his cheek with a cold bottle of water. He jumps and lifts his head to look at Yukari, "You were _not_ useless in the slightest. Yes, you gave up two runs, but you didn't let them score any more than that. Switch your gears and cool down," she says as she hands him his shoulder pack. Furuya takes the shoulder pack and the bottle with wide eyes. When he snaps out of it, he nods.

"Yes, ma'am," he says as he walks towards the back of the dugout near Tanba. Yukari returns to her seat when the first batter is in the batter's box. She rolls her eyes when, out of nerves, Sawamura misses his pick-off towards Tetsu. Thankfully, Tetsu is more reliable than Sawamura and manages to catch the flying ball. The supporters start reprimanding the first year pitcher.

"L-Look at that! He's bound to screw something up for us!" Oota says, "We should change to Kawakami before it happens. Kantoku–"

"Oota-buchou," Yukari speaks up as she gets increasingly irritated. The heat is really getting to her and she can do without his yapping, "With all due respect, please shut up."

Oota flinches and looks back and forth between Yukari and Kataoka. _Just what makes them trust him so much?_

Yukari almost growls when she sees Sawamura adjusting his grip blatantly. _I told him not to do that in the middle of a game…_ she sighs to calm herself down. _Kazuya must've seen it yesterday; the four-seam pitch he managed to throw at Kantoku…_

Sawamura winds up and pitches. Yukari can't help but smirk when it cleanly lands in Kazuya's mitt as the batter swings late. The batter fouls the second pitch and even though he manages to hit the third one, Masuko manages to catch it. Out.

 _That's it, Sawamura. Pitching with your heart and spirit is what you do best._


	13. Chapter 13

**Things are going to start getting interesting from here on out! Starting from this chapter, there's gonna be lots of interesting revelations about Yukari and the people connected to her, so please look forward to it~**

* * *

At the bottom of fourth, Jun is first up to bat. Yukari watches in amusement as Jun bows politely at the catcher and the umpire, as usual. The first pitch is aimed right beside Jun's face, but he manages to hit it far down the left field. He manages to reach second base. Seidou's crowd goes wild.

 _Good job, Jun-san. You wouldn't wanna be upstaged by first years, would you?_ Yukari thinks with a smirk.

Tetsu is up next, and he hits the first pitch down the right foul line with full power. In the end, he gets walked into first base. _He got intimidated by Tetsu-san's swing. Good, good… stay like that… and break down_ , Yukari thinks as the smirk on her face slowly turns malicious.

Kazuya smirks when he notices her smirk, "What's going through your mind, Yuka-chan?"

Yukari shrugs, smirk firmly on her face, "Oh, nothing… just enjoying the look on You's face."

Kazuya mirrors her smirk, "It feels really good to see that kind of look on our rival's face, isn't it?"

Yukari scoffs, "Tell me about it. Why don't we… do something to, I don't know, avenge Furuya or something?"

Kazuya looks right into her eyes and laughs, "I like where this is going!"

"There's a runner on second, and the pitcher is our favorite kind of pitcher," Yukari smirks at Kazuya, "I won't forgive you if you screw this up."

Kazuya smirks, "Will you give me a reward if I do well?"

Yukari narrows her eyes at him, "Don't push your luck," Kazuya laughs at that.

"Whoa! They're here! Miyuki-senpai and Yukihime-senpai's evil smirks are here!"

"I haven't seen that since our match against Kiryu!"

"Stop flirting, dammit! Hyahaha!"

"Shut up," Kazuya and Yukari say at the same time.

Masuko is batting next, and Yukari pats Kazuya's back as he walks towards the on-deck circle. Masuko bunts the next pitch, sending Jun to third and Tetsu to second while Masuko is out. Kazuya enters the batter's box and You brings the fielders in close. Yukari smirks. _Trying to forcefully realign your gears, huh…? If you underestimate my boyfriend, it'll hurt, you know…_

The first pitch is a curve to the farthest outside corner of the zone. The next one is a high fastball to the inside, and Kazuya fouls it. Yukari winces a bit when he accidentally swings at a high, inside ball outside of the zone. Yukari smirks. _Imagine if you're catching for him, Kazuya… they don't need another ball. End it with a low and outside curve!_

Yukari can't help but let an excited smile out when You pitches the exact pitch she thought of, and Kazuya apparently thinks the same. He hits the pitch hard and without hesitation towards between center and left field. _Geez, what a battery we'd be, You…_ Jun and Tetsu run back home while Kazuya reaches third base. _A two-RBI triple. As expected from my boyfriend the clutch hitter._

But when Kenjirou and Kazuya are trying to go for a squeeze, You manages to catch the ball and outs Kazuya at the plate. Yukari clicks her tongue. _We might've excited him a little bit._

After the change, Sawamura manages get three for three with the help of the fielders. Unfortunately, he's no help batting-wise. Not that Yukari expects anything from him. The next batter is Youichi.

Yukari watches as Youichi tenaciously fouls the first two pitches and gets out with another inside pitch. Ryousuke continues with his constant fouling strategy, until he hits one right towards the first base. Time to change.

Yukari smirks when Sawamura manages to jam You. _Good job, Sawamura._

"Kominato," Kataoka calls out to Haruichi, "Go swing your bat and warm up. Be ready to go when I call you," Haruichi gasps lightly, "And Tanba… this is something only you, the ace, can do. Go to the bullpen to put some pressure on the other team."

Yukari smirks. _That would deal a good mental damage to Akikawa who must've been thinking that our ace isn't playing._

Sawamura continues to hold Akikawa off from scoring during the top of sixth and seventh, but unfortunately Seidou can't score more in the sixth inning.

"Nice ball," Kataoka praises at the end of the top of seventh.

"Nice pitch," Chris praises. Yukari holds back on praises because she knows it will get to his head; which is proven instantly by Sawamura's shout. The rest of the players approach the dugout.

"Do you seriously plan to play past the ninth inning?" Kataoka asks, "If you're seriously aiming for the nationals, go get as many runs as you can before the game ends!"

The players first look perplexed, but then they grin and shout, "YES, SIR!"

"Haru-kun," Yukari calls out as she lightly throws a batting helmet at the younger Kominato. Haruichi catches it, and then eyes Yukari, who gives him a small smile, "Good luck."

Haruichi smiles and nods at her, "Yeah!"

The coach calls out for a pinch hitter in place of Sakai, and it's Haruichi. The younger Kominato walks towards the batter's box and stands over the plate, bringing a smirk to Yukari's face. She watches as Haruichi opens his legs and hits the first pitch to the left field.

 _Haru-kun is pretty observant. He knows that You has confidence in his ball control and will throw to the inside. He was aiming for that. What a talented guy_ , Yukari thinks. She snickers when she sees the pink-haired first year arrive at the first base and pumps his fist with a bright blush on his face. _So cute…_ she then eyes Ryousuke on the corner of her eyes. _It must be hard to have a younger brother like him, Ryou-nii._

Sawamura is all gung-ho about hitting a big one until the head coach signals him to bunt. Yukari smirks at his disappointment, but agrees with Kataoka's decision. _After all, he's a genius bunter._ As expected, Sawamura bunts the ball perfectly, straight down the foul line, advancing Haruichi to second base.

One out with a runner on second, and Youichi is up for bat. _It's about time you do your job, Youichi-kun. I'm sure you're frustrated, right?_ Youichi hits the first pitch to the outside towards the right and runs like hell towards first base while Haruichi advances to third. Due to a defense error, Youichi manages to get on base. Yukari smirks. _Good job, demon legs._

Kataoka signals Youichi not to take a lead, but when You winds up, he steals. He reaches second base with no problem. After a short time out from Akikawa, the game continues.

Ryousuke prepares for a bunt and Yukari's eyes widen when the course of the pitch goes haywire. Ryousuke tenaciously tries to tap the ball with his bat and manages it. He runs towards the base as Haruichi returns home and Youichi makes use of his fast legs to run home.

 _Nice play, Ryou-nii_ , Yukari thinks with a smirk as she watches him run towards second base and reaches it. _Akikawa's Clockwork's gear is finally misaligned._

"Yeah! That's our one-two pair!" Oota exclaims.

"Nice run," Chris praises Youichi.

"Nice run, Haru-kun," Yukari says as she pats his pseudo-younger brother's shoulder. Haruichi smiles at her and nods, "Nice run, demon legs," she smirks. Youichi smirks back at her,

"Nice run, Kuramochi," Kenjirou says.

"Though you got on base with an error," Kazuya adds.

"It was a hit!" Youichi argues.

The attack continues as the cleanup batter goes to bat. At the end of seventh inning, Seidou manages to score five runs. At the top of ninth, with Nori doing what he does best as their closer, they score their win with the score of 7-2.

xXx

After their match is done, the players clean up the dugout while Yukari takes the strap of the ice box she brought on her shoulder. Before she can walk too far, though, the weight is taken off of her. She turns to look at the culprit and sighs.

"It's heavy, you know."

"I know. There's no way I can let a girl lift such heavy weight."

"You need to protect your shoulder."

"Well, how about we trade?"

Yukari sighs and relents. She takes Kazuya's bag and shoulders it as her boyfriend helps her with the ice box. She puts on her cap before they walk out of the dugout as a small relief from the heat. They walk past the first years who are talking about Sawamura's relief pitching.

"The only reason you were effective today was because Akikawa batters swung carelessly," Kazuya comments.

"They didn't have any data on you, so it's a given," Yukari adds.

"Most of your throws were right down the middle," Kazuya says, "It'll take you years before you become like You."

Sawamura growls, "I'll show you! One day I'll claim the title of 'Clockwork'!"

"Ha! Impossible!" Kazuya insults

"In what world?" Yukari adds.

"Yeah, that's not happening. Know your limits," Haruichi says.

"Harucchi, you too?!"

"Furuya," Kazuya calls out, "The team saved you today. You both have a lot of reflecting to do today."

"Sawamura, hurry up and get out!" Youichi yells.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

The Seidou players walk out of the dugout and notice the team that will play the next game. Ichidaisan.

"Congratulations," Tahara Toshihiko, the head coach of Ichidaisan, says, "First team to make the Best 8," Kataoka nods at him. He turns his attention to Yukari, "Long time no see, Snow Princess."

Yukari bows at him, "Long time no see, Tahara-kantoku," she then moves her eyes to their captain and gives him a small smile, "Takahiro-san," the first years look confused not only because of her friendly smile, but also because of how she calls the Ichidaisan player.

Oomae Takahiro, the captain of Ichidaisan, smirks at her, "Yukari. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Yukari says. She then smirks at Takahiro, "We'll see you at the semifinals, right, Takahiro-san?"

Takahiro pats Yukari on her head with a grin, "Definitely. Watch carefully, Yukari," he says as he offers her a fist.

"Oh, I will," Yukari then bumps his fist with hers. Ichidaisan players then filter into the dugout as the Seidou players leave the field towards the bleachers.

"U-Um… A-Aneki…" Haruichi starts carefully. Yukari smirks at his nickname.

"What is it, Haru-kun?"

"That was Ichidaisan's captain, right?"

"Yeah. Oomae Takahiro. Third year, cleanup, third baseman," Yukari says.

"Why were you so friendly with him?! Are you a spy, Yukihime-senpai?!"

Yukari glares coldly at Sawamura, "You… wanna die?"

Sawamura shrieks as he tries to hide behind Haruichi who is shorter than him.

"Oomae-san is Yuka-chan's cousin," Kazuya explains, "We were shocked too when we first found out, since she never said anything."

"Miyuki and Ichikawa even got into a fight because of it! Hyahaha!"

Yukari shrugs, "It's not something that needs to be told."

"No, it is. I mean, your cousin is the captain of one of our eternal rivals, Ichikawa," Youichi says with a deadpan look.

"So what?" Yukari asks, "It's not like we exchange data when we meet at family functions. What kind of manager do you think I am?"

"I know, I know… you said the same thing last year, you know."

"Oi, hurry up, you idiots!" Jun shouts.

xXx

The Seidou players take their place on the bleachers. Yukari sits in between Kazuya and Furuya at the top-most bench.

"You guys, keep a close watch on the Ichidaisan batters," Kazuya warns, "They're not like Akikawa who only had You."

"I-Is Ichidaisan really that strong?" Sawamura asks Haruichi with low voice, but Yukari can still hear him.

"Y-Yes, they are! They went to the invitational. We played them in the spring tournament!" Haruichi answers.

"I was at school practicing and didn't watch…" Sawamura says, "And what about Yakushi?"

"They haven't bunted a single time, so far," Chris says as he suddenly shows up behind Sawamura, "They seem to be super offensive. Their first game was a called game. They got a new coach last spring, and they've been gaining power. Their ability to score once they pick up momentum is uncanny. However, Ichidaisan is still stronger as a whole."

Yukari listens closely to Chris' explanation, because as much as she hates to admit it, she hasn't gotten her hands on her own data on Yakushi. She hasn't even looked at the list of players yet.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong, Eijun-kun?"

"Yakushi's cleanup. How do you read that?" Sawamura asks, "Car? Three cars? Three… Three… Tricycle!"

"I think it's Todoroki?"

Chris widens his eyes and gasps, "What's wrong, Chris-senpai?" Yukari asks.

"Mishima, Todoroki, Akiba… the cleanup trio is completely different," Chris says.

"They're on the players list," Kazuya says. Yukari peeks beside him and he positions the book so they can read it together, "They're all first years."

"First years?!"

"Oh, the coach's name is Todoroki, too," Yukari says as she scans the players list. Her eyes widen when she sees one of the names. _Don't tell me… could it be just someone with the same name?_

"Play ball!"

Yukari snaps out of her thoughts and gets her notes ready. Not only does she watch Ichidaisan, but she also watches Yakushi for a very much needed data on them. She smirks when Takahiro scores a three-run homer.

"Tch. A three-run homer off the bat," Jun comments as Tetsu's aura is in full blast beside him, "Way to show spirit. Is he seriously the same age as us? Your cousin is a real pain in the ass, Ichikawa."

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment," Yukari says without looking up from her notes.

"They have an unparalleled cleanup, hit hard, and use little tricks," Kazuya explains to the first years, "If you think of it as pitching against our batters, you should get an idea."

Yukari smirks as the first year pitchers shudder in fear at that thought. She returns her focus back to the game and her eyes widen when their number 20, Todoroki Raichi, jumps nimbly to stop a ball. She rolls her eyes when he throws widely towards first base. _He reminds me of a monkey…_

At the end of the top of first, Ichidaisan scores six runs.

"Looks like we're only here to see how strong they are. Manaka's looking good, too," Jun says, "I bet this will be a called game."

None of them knows how _wrong_ Jun is.

When Todoroki is at-bat, he hits Manaka's slider over the fence.

Yukari's eyes widen at the sheer power the small first year has. _W-What power… just what kind of practice does he do?_

Yakushi turns out to be a tougher competition than Yukari initially thought. After Todoroki's home run at the bottom of first, they continue to score off Ichidaisan slowly but surely.

"It's 11-8 in the bottom of sixth," Kazuya comments, "Ichidaisan is still in the lead, but I never thought this game would turn out like this."

"The two-run homer in the first inning. Manaka lost his rhythm with that hit," Chris says.

"He took another homer from the five-hole immediately after. Even though Ichidaisan is in the lead, the momentum is definitely in Yakushi's hands," Yukari adds, "Not to mention Manaka-san is sent to the outfield to cool down," _That first year slugger is someone you can't ignore_ , Yukari thinks. _So is the coach who gave the cleanup position to the three first years who've never played a game so far. What a scary family…_

All of a sudden Yakushi's dugout is in an uproar as the father-son duo start to fight.

"Tch. I can't believe they're struggling against such a stupid team," Jun says, "Hurry up and finish it!"

Yukari bites her lower lip. _No… like I said earlier, Yakushi has the momentum. If this keeps up, who knows what will happen._

Yakushi starts to catch up to Ichidaisan's score. Thanks to Takahiro's defense, they manage to stop Yakushi from scoring. Yukari smirks. _As expected from the captain. The only problem now is Manaka-san. If they want to turn this around, Manaka-san has to get back on his feet immediately._

At the bottom of seventh, Manaka returns to the mound.

"Eh? He's back on the mound?" Sawamura wonders.

"Of course he is. Manaka-san is Ichidaisan's ace," Kazuya says.

"If he can't make a comeback here, the team can't go anywhere," Chris says, "That's how important the ace of the team is."

After Manaka's return, he manages to strikeout the first cleanup batter. He's up against Todoroki now. He manages to get two strikes off of him.

"He's not throwing any easy pitches," Tetsu says.

"The batter must be a monster," Jun says.

Yukari watches as Manaka pitches, and smirks at the great course of his fastball. She gasps audibly when Todoroki hits it hard, straight at Manaka's left arm. She winces when she sees him throwing the ball to first base to retire Todoroki. After he does, though, he winces in pain and the Ichidaisan players start to crowd around him.

 _There's no way the doctor will let him continue now…_ Yukari bites her lower lip.

Yukari narrows her eyes when she sees Yakushi bringing out another pitcher to the bullpen. She shrugs. _More data for us,_ she thinks. She silently walks down the stairs.

"Yuka-chan?" Kazuya calls out.

"I just want to get a better look," Yukari says as she continues to walk towards the edge of the bleachers, and her eyes widen instantly when the pitcher starts pitching. Her steps grow faster and she squeezes her hand in a fist, "…you're kidding me, right…?" she says under her breath.

"What's wrong, Ichikawa?" Jun asks. She doesn't answer him.

She recognizes his weird form. She recognizes the trajectory of the ball he just pitched. She knows that pitch _very_ well. How can she not? She caught that pitch hundreds of times before with her battery partner when she was still playing. Not a lot of people throw that pitch, and especially not with that distinctive form.

She knows that Yakushi pitcher all too well.

In the end, Ichidaisan has to pay the price after losing their ace. They lost the game with the score of 12-13.

"It's a good thing we were all here for this," Kataoka says when he arrives at the bleachers behind Sawamura.

"B-Boss!"

He eyes Chris and Yukari, "We can figure out how to beat them before the next game."

Chris and Yukari nod at him. _I'm sorry… but I'm going to sell you out to my team._

After they return to the bus, the Seidou players have to wait for the first year trio. At first, Yukari was thinking about visiting the Ichidaisan players, but opts not to do it. She is worried about Takahiro and Manaka, but she thinks it would be too soon to ask how they're doing.

"Are you busy picturing our game against Yakushi?" Yukari hears Chris ask Kazuya, who are sitting in the seat in front of her.

"Ah, yeah. Well… I'm really glad we got to see them," Kazuya answers, "If we faced them before Ichidaisan…"

Yukari bites her lower lip.

"Their batters managed to hit off the Ichidaisan pitchers. How we stop them will be the key to our victory."

xXx

During practice the next day, Furuya and Sawamura are oddly more motivated than usual. Well, in Sawamura's case, it's just business as usual (maybe a little bit louder), but Furuya's aura seems uncontrollable. They run around the field, with a tire on in Sawamura's case, with a very seriously angry look on their faces. Yukari shakes her head. _I thought Kazuya told them to do a light practice today?_

"Actually, yesterday…" Haruichi starts. He then told the rest of the first string players about Todoroki and the coach saying that the only pitcher worth their time is Inajitsu's Narumiya Mei. Yukari sighs when Jun burns up in anger, followed by the other first string players. She shakes her head incredulously. _What a bunch of hot-headed idiots…_

"Be it Ichidaisan or Yakushi, whoever stands in our way is the opponent we have to beat. Let's show them the answer on the field," Tetsu says.

Yukari flinches when his aura flames up. _Says the one who's the most fired up…_

"Tetsu. Isashiki. Masuko," Tanba suddenly calls out, "These three days we have until the game… can you bat against me in a simulated batting practice?" he looks up at his fellow third years, "I want to get the feeling of a game back."

Jun chuckles, "You want to pitch against us? You've got some guts! I'm totally down! But I don't know how to hold back!" he then points at Tetsu, "And this guy, too!"

"Yeah, I know," Tanba says as he stands up from his seat, "Go all out."

"Alright! We have an hour until practice! Let's do this right now!" Jun shouts, "Whoever's free, get on defense!"

"Yes, sir!"

Yukari smirks before she shrugs in resignation. _Well, there's no point in stopping them. Not when Tanba-san's that motivated. Especially after seeing Ichidaisan lost._

The first string players and some of the second string players get in position in Field A for a simulated batting practice. Yukari watches in amusement as she checks the perimeter for the coach. She is a little bit worried that they're not holding back, but she knows that the only one who can stop them is the coach. On the corner of her eyes, she sees the head coach and Rei outside of the field, but decides not to say anything to the team, since the coach doesn't seem to have any intention of stopping them.

She chuckles when Tetsu hits a three-run homer.

* * *

 **Fun fact, at first I made Oomae and Yukari cousins simply because I'm half in love with his seiyuu, Uchiyama Kouki. But he's gonna have a bigger role than just a simple cameo, so do look forward to it~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Like I said in the previous chapter, this is where the interesting revelations regarding Yukari and the people around her starts. Also from this chapter on, there is a possibility that Miyuki might be a little OOC, but this is only because I don't really know how he would act when he's lovestruck with anything other than baseball, so please forgive me for it. I hope you guys enjoy this~!**

* * *

That night after practice, Chris and Yukari gather everyone in the cafeteria for a strategy meeting. When they enter the room, they freeze a little when they feel that the room is slightly colder than usual. Their eyes land at the source of the cold: Yukari. During the strategy meeting, as Chris explains the data he has while Yukari tunes him out until they reach the part of the video where Yakushi changes their pitcher.

"Then, this pitcher threw until the seventh inning, when the game was called with a score of 12-3. With the momentum from defeating Ichidaisan, Yakushi made it into the Best 8," Chris explains. Yukari doesn't tear her eyes away from the TV, "This right-handed pitcher also pitched the last two innings in the Ichidaisan game. He throws aggressively to the inside and has a shootball that comes right into your chest. Number 18, Sanada Shunpei. He's undoubtedly the real ace of the team," Chris explains.

"He throws a shootball? That's rare," Tetsu comments.

"Why doesn't he pitch from the start? Is he injured?" Jun wonders.

"I don't know about that, but… changing the cleanup while saving the ace for the end is practically unthinkable. If it's all a well-thought out strategy, then it's safe to assume they'll do something for our game."

Yukari doesn't take her eyes off of the TV screen as she starts to speak, "…his weakness lies in his stamina. That's why he doesn't pitch from the start; he can't play a full match," everyone's attention turns to Yukari, "As for the shootball, he's been honing that ball since junior high. As you can see, it's pretty useful for right handed batters. But I personally think the real threat he possesses is his cutter; it's seriously troublesome, especially for left handed batters.

"As a batter, he's not bad, but he does have a tendency to only swing on fastballs. Calling for a variety of breaking balls should be put into consideration. But you can't be reckless with him; he performs pretty well in clutch situations. Oh, he also gets too focused on the batters, so he gives away a lot of steals."

 _Geez… where did the dude who always skipped practices go?_ She thinks before smirking, "Shunpei, you bastard… you've gotten loads better, haven't you?" she says under her breath with a smirk. She then turns to look at the baseball team members to see them looking at her with wide eyes, "…what?"

"How come you know so much about him?" Jun asks.

"It's true. Some of the things you said are not in the video…" Chris says.

"And did I just hear you call him by his given name?" Ryousuke asks, "Something smells fishy."

Yukari sighs, "…he's my childhood friend."

"EEEEH?!"

"But I haven't heard from him since graduation," Yukari says with a shrug, "I don't know what happened between then and now, but I can definitely say this: he's improved a lot more than I expected _._ He used to skip practice all the time because it's boring. But this is not the result of someone who doesn't practice. I'm guessing Todoroki-kantoku coming in might have something to do with it," Yukari says, "Any more questions?"

"Did you ever date him?" Youichi asks with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Any more _baseball related_ questions?" Yukari asks. Even when she can feel curious eyes looking at her, she blatantly ignores them, "No? Let's move on."

"You're cold, Yuka-chan~" Kazuya mocks.

"You know that from the start, don't you dare complain about it now," Yukari says indifferently.

"Hyahaha! That's true!" Youichi laughs, "You knew what you were diving into when you asked her out!"

Yukari sighs as she presses the bridge of her nose. She can feel a headache building, "Can we please continue the meeting…?"

"Oh… yeah," Chris says before clearing his throat, "This batting lineup… number 3, Mishima, number 4, Todoroki, number 5, Akiba. These three cleanups have scored eight runs with seven hits. Just because they're first years doesn't mean they're not formidable."

"The team has stolen bases seven times?" Kataoka asks.

"Yes," Chris confirms, "They don't bunt, so they aggressively run."

"We must be wary of their aggressive runners while still keeping focus on their powerful batters. Their lack of bunts actually adds pressure to the pitchers," Kataoka says, "Yakushi High School… may be a much tougher opponent than we expected."

xXx

After lunch one day before their match against Yakushi, Kataoka, Rei, and Oota are all in the bullpen as all four pitchers are practicing. Sawamura is with Chris, Furuya is with Kazuya, Nori is with Hiroshi, and Tanba is with Miyauchi. Kanemaru is batting for Sawamura, Rei is standing behind Kazuya, Oota behind Hiroshi, and Kataoka is standing behind Tanba.

For once in a long while, Yukari helps out with fielding practice. She may not be the best batter around, but all she has to do is hit some balls inside the foul lines. That's not rocket science.

After some time, Yukari wipes the sweat out of her forehead when she feels pain in her chest. She winces when she hits another ball towards right field when her she can hear her heart beat painfully against her chest. She tries to catch her breath, but finds it hard to do so. Not to mention she feels tired already when it's only been a couple of minutes since they started. She always has been low in stamina, but she doesn't remember being this weak.

After a while, she gives up and asks someone else to replace her. She then walks towards the bullpen. She doesn't enter it as she calls out, "Kantoku."

Kataoka turns his attention from Tanba to Yukari, "What's wrong, Ichikawa?" This time, not only Kataoka, but everyone in the bullpen turns to look at her.

Yukari pants as she says, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to retire for the day, sir," she winces minutely when her pain flares up in her chest again.

"Are you okay, Ichikawa?" Tanba asks.

"…I hope so," Yukari says under her breath. The head coach is silent for a while before nodding.

"Okay. Be ready at 7 tomorrow morning," Kataoka says. Yukari nods and bows as she excuses herself.

Since she has been trying her best to catch her breath, eventually Yukari feels a little bit dizzy. Somehow she manages to reach her room. After she locks the door, she leans her head on the hard wood, and slides down to the ground. She falls to her side as the world in front of her eyes turns black.

xXx

When Yukari comes to, she's still lying on the floor. She lifts herself up and sighs in relief when she doesn't feel pain in her chest. She can breathe easier too. She grabs her phone from her pocket and sees that the day has changed, and it's 4 AM. She also has a lot of missed calls and messages. When she checks them, most of the missed calls are from Kazuya.

 _07/26 20:27_

 _Kuramochi Youichi_

 _Oi Ichikawa where were you? Masuko-san ate your share of dinner, don't bother coming!_

 _07/26 20:33_

 _Kominato Ryousuke_

 _Yukari, you got mad at me when I missed dinner. Well, you missed dinner. That means I can bully you, right?_

 _07/26 20:34_

 _Tanba Kouichiro_

 _Ichikawa, are you feeling better? Get well soon._

 _07/26 20:37_

 _Takigawa Chris Yuu_

 _Ichikawa, eat something when you wake up._

 _07/26 20:39_

 _Yuuki Tetsuya_

 _Ichikawa, I heard you're not feeling well. Get well soon._

 _07/26 20:43_

 _Masuko Tooru_

 _Ichikawa-chan I'm sorry I ate your dinner. You can have my pudding, but only one._

 _07/26 20:47_

 _Isashiki Jun_

 _Oi Ichikawa you okay? Trainers aren't supposed to get sick damn it_

 _07/26 20:51_

 _(Unknown number)_

 _Aneki, Miyuki-senpai said you're not feeling well. I hope you feel better soon. – Kominato Haruichi_

 _07/26 21:01_

 _Miyuki Kazuya_

 _Yuka-chan, I'm outside your door. Open up._

 _07/26 21:16_

 _Miyuki Kazuya_

 _I guess you're really tired. I'll see you tomorrow morning._

Yukari sighs as she reads the messages she received. _I'm sorry, everyone…_ she brushes her hair out of her face as she saves Haruichi's number into her phone, and then she gets ready for bath. When she's done, she gets in her game uniform and walks towards the cafeteria before the players are awake. When she reaches the cafeteria, she smiles apologetically at the cafeteria auntie.

"Good morning, Oba-san," Yukari greets.

"Yukari-chan! Where were you last night?" Auntie asks her, "Everyone was worried, especially Miyuki-kun," she chuckles, "He might not have shown it, but I could tell."

"I'm sorry… I wasn't feeling well, and I guess I slept through the night," Yukari apologizes.

"How are you feeling now?"

"I feel better, thanks," Yukari answers, "Is there anything I can help?"

The cafeteria auntie tells her what to do until the players start to filter into the room with their uniforms on. Yukari flinches when she sees the third years filtering in one by one. She tries to avoid their eyes, but Jun is faster.

"Ah! Ichikawa, teme!" Yukari winces as she hides behind the cafeteria auntie, "Don't hide, damn it!"

"Yukari, I told you I would bully you, right?" Ryousuke asks with a malicious smile on his face.

"Ichikawa, have you eaten yet?" Chris asks.

"Not yet…" Yukari answers without looking at Chris. She hears him sigh.

"Eat. You missed dinner last night, you must be hungry," Chris says.

"He's right, Yukari-chan! Here," the cafeteria auntie then starts to pile up some food for her, more than what she usually eats during breakfast. Yukari sighs in resignation as she takes the tray from her. After putting down her tray, before she can sit down, someone yanks her hand and drags her out of the cafeteria.

"Oi! Miyuki, teme! She's trying to eat, you idiot!" Jun shouts, "Are you trying to starve your girlfriend?! What kind of boyfriend are you?!"

Kazuya doesn't seem to have heard him as he continues to drag Yukari. She can't do anything to shake him off – not to mention she feels guilty about worrying him – so she stays put and lets him drag her wherever he wants. They stop at the back of the cafeteria building where Kazuya pushes Yukari against the wall and slams his hand beside her head, making her wince. Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it as she waits for Kazuya to start talking.

"You…" Kazuya starts as he sighs sharply in exasperation, "Do you know how worried I was when you didn't show up for dinner…?" Yukari bites her lower lip as she waits. She knows he's not done yet, "And when I almost banged your door down, you didn't even answer. I tried calling you a million times, but you didn't pick up."

Yukari takes a deep breath again and says, "I'm sorry."

Kazuya scoffs, "You should be. I looked really lame last night; ask Kuramochi. He had a field day watching me run back and forth between my room and yours like a headless chicken."

Yukari can't help but chuckle, "It's a shame I didn't get to see that."

"You…" Kazuya says before he chuckles, "You're something else, Yuka-chan."

"I'm sorry," Yukari says once again. She really means it. She didn't mean to worry him.

Kazuya sighs and doesn't answer her. Instead, he presses his lips against hers. It takes her by surprise, but it's not unwelcome. She kisses him back, trying to put all the regret she feels into it just so he can feel how sorry she really is. She wraps her arms around his neck while he wraps his around her waist.

Neither of them deepens the kiss. Their lips are just pressing against each other's, not too gently and not too forcefully. But every time they pull away for air, their lips don't part for long. After what feels like fifteen minutes, even though in reality it's only five, they pull away from each other. Kazuya bumps his forehead to hers.

"Tell me when you're not feeling well. I may not look like it, but if I can take care of myself since junior high, I think I can take care of you," Kazuya says.

Yukari chuckles, "I didn't know that, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, Kazuya."

"Now let's get back before Jun-san blows up," Kazuya says as he pulls away from her.

"I think he already did," Yukari says nonchalantly as she walks alongside a cackling Kazuya back into the cafeteria.

xXx

The Seidou baseball team arrives in front of the stadium and they are greeted by their supporters. Yukari is talking to Kazuya while he updates her with the decisions the head coach has made while she was out cold last night.

After breakfast that morning, Yukari bows in apology to all the first string players who bothered to text her they day before, telling them the same thing she told the cafeteria auntie. They begrudgingly forgive her and let her off. She also apologizes to the head coach for leaving practice early, and he only told her to take care of herself.

Before the players can enter the stadium towards the dugout, they are stopped by someone calling out, "Hey, you over there with the red hair!"

Yukari stops in her tracks when she hears those words. She can see no other red-haired person around her, so that person must mean her. Not to mention, she recognizes that voice. When she stops, some of the other players stop with her.

"…Yukari? Ichikawa Yukari, right?"

Yukari scoffs out a small laughter before turning around and giving her childhood friend a small smirk, "…Sanada Shunpei."

"It _is_ you! How are you?" Shunpei asks with a bright smile on his face as they approach each other.

"I've been well. How about you?"

"I feel amazing now that I finally see you again! It's been such a long time!"

"And whose fault is that?" Yukari asks as she playfully narrows her eyes at Shunpei.

"Yours, since you rejected me," Shunpei fake sobs. His words shock the Seidou players. Apparently Youichi wasn't far off with his question the other day. While they didn't date, they almost did, "I was so heartbroken, Yukari!"

"Shut up, you huge flirt."

"Cold as usual, aren't you? How's your handwriting? Is it still as unreadable as usual?"

"Says the person who can actually read it. Sorry that my brain works faster than my hand," Yukari scoffs out a small laugh at their banter. She doesn't realize just how much she misses this.

Sanada Shunpei has been a close friend of hers since their elementary school days. They live in the same neighborhood and went to the same elementary school and junior high school. Their families are also very friendly with each other. As she mentioned, he is one of the rare people who can actually read her chicken scratch writing.

On their junior high graduation day, Shunpei confessed his feelings to her, but she rejected him. It actually hurts for her to reject him too, since she was so afraid of losing him as a friend. Unfortunately for him, she has never liked the flirtatious type, and Shunpei is exactly that. Losing contact with him makes her more convinced that he doesn't want to stay friends with her. That's why, though she doesn't say it out loud, she's glad that he greeted her first.

"What are you doing here? Don't tell me that you're here to cheer for me?" Shunpei asks with his eyes bright.

"You wish," Yukari scoffs as she sees Shunpei slump dejectedly, "Just in case you don't remember, I'm with Seidou."

Shunpei's eyes widen, but then he laughs, "Oh, right. I almost forgot that you were scouted by that school since our first year of junior high school. You're the famous _Seidou no Yukihime_ , right? I remember one of my friends telling me about Seidou's cold manager, and the first person who came into my mind was you," he grins, "What a shame. After such a long time, we have to meet each other as enemies. No hard feelings when we kick your ass, eh?" he says with a playful, flirtatious smirk.

"That's my line," Yukari says with a challenging smirk. Having been subjected to his flirtatious nature, she has developed immunity towards Sanada Shunpei's sweet words and expression. If only she can do the same with Kazuya, maybe she won't blush so much when he gets too close, "I watched the match against Ichidaisan. That first year cleanup is something else."

"I can't think of anything better to describe Raichi," Shunpei says with a laugh, "He's a cute kid, though."

"Are you playing today?"

"Of course I am!" Shunpei says, then he smirks, "Won't tell you when, though."

"I bet it's because you don't know when either," Yukari says nonchalantly. She smirks when he laughs shakily, unintentionally confirming her statement, "Oh, by the way, I sold you out to my team. No hard feelings, right?"

"Geh! You're horrible, Yukari…" Shunpei pouts.

"Don't pout. You look like a brat," Yukari comments offhandedly, "Besides, if you guys are as good as you think you are, you'll be able to – I quote – 'kick our asses' even with our extra info, right?"

Shunpei clicks her tongue, "You're as evil as usual, Yukari…"

"Says the one who stayed friends with me for years," Yukari retorts.

"Oi, oi, Miyuki… are you sure this is okay? I've never seen Ichikawa this friendly!" Youichi whispers.

"Hmm? Why not?" Kazuya asks, "Yuka-chan looks happy to see her friend again; of course it's okay," he would never admit it, but the green monster inside of him is starting to peek his head out of its hiding. But he has to be the bigger person and hide it from everyone.

"If you don't do anything, she might get snatched up from under your nose, you know~" Ryousuke says, smirking in satisfaction when he sees Kazuya flinching slightly.

"Say… are you dating anyone right now?" Shunpei asks. Everyone's ears perk up at Shunpei's question. Kazuya frowns at the question. He isn't really keen on where their conversation is going.

"Is that the real reason why you greeted me?" Yukari asks exasperatedly, "It's none of your business."

"Come on, humor me."

Yukari sighs in resignation. She knows that he'll never drop it unless she tells him what he wants to know, "…I am."

Shunpei laughs, "I'm surprised. I imagine guys would flock around a pretty girl like you, but for one of them to actually get you… that's something else," he chuckles when Yukari rolls her eyes at his words, "So? What kind of guy is he? I imagine this guy has to be really good in baseball for him to catch your eyes."

Yukari nods her head towards the Seidou players behind her, "He is, actually. He's the catcher; the only one with glasses."

"Ah, guys with glasses are always a weakness of yours."

Yukari narrows her eyes at him, "Shut up, they're not."

"Any chance I can snag you from him?"

Every Seidou baseball team members' eyes widen at his confident question.

"No way in hell," Yukari answers simply.

Shunpei's eyes widen at Yukari's almost instantaneous response while Kazuya grins smugly.

"Whoa, that was fast… can I ask why?"

Much to everyone's shock, Yukari's face goes as red as her fiery hair, "…it's none of your business."

Shunpei smirks at her, "Ah, don't tell me… is he the legendary guy who brought baseball back to your life? I thought he was just an urban legend or something. You're dating him now?"

Yukari avoids looking at Shunpei, her cheeks still pink, "Yeah, well, everything just kinda works out that way."

"Well, it's gonna be hard to beat _that…_ but I love a challenge," Shunpei says with a smirk.

"Just give up, Shunpei; you have no chance," Yukari turns around when she feels someone's hand on her shoulder, "…Kazuya."

"Let's go, Yuka-chan. Everyone's waiting," Kazuya says.

"Is this the guy, Yukari?" Shunpei asks as he looks at Kazuya. Yukari sighs as she can practically see sparks lighting up when their eyes meet. She reluctantly introduces them to each other.

"Yes. Kazuya, this is my childhood friend, Sanada Shunpei. Shunpei, this is…" Yukari contemplates her answer before finally deciding to say, "Miyuki Kazuya."

"Pleasure."

"Same here."

"Let's go, Kazuya. I'll see you later, Shunpei."

"Wait, Yukari. I wanna have a chat with him for a bit. You know, as a childhood friend to my precious friend's boyfriend," Shunpei says with a smirk. Yukari warily eyes the two boys, and sighs when she sees that Kazuya doesn't seem to mind.

"…five minutes. Not more or less," Yukari says firmly as she walks towards the dugout entrance.

Just before their five minutes were up, Kazuya enters the dugout. Yukari scans his face and sighs when she can see him trying to control his expression. But Yukari knows him better than that. He looks irritated, but he's trying to mask it. She decides to ask anyway.

"Everything okay?" Yukari asks Kazuya when he walks past her.

"Yeah," Kazuya answers. She holds back a sigh at the short answer.

"Just make sure whatever Shunpei said doesn't affect the game," Yukari says as she puts a hand on his arm, squeezing it until he meets her eyes, "If they do, I'll drag you from the diamond myself."

Kazuya smirks, "Understood."

"We will now begin the quarter-final between Seidou High School and Yakushi High School," the woman in the P.A. system announces. The players line up in front of the dugout.

"Your throws, your steps, and your swings reflect who you are," Kataoka says, "Throw away all doubt! Believe in your baseball!"

"YEAH!"

Both teams run into the field to line up and greet each other. While most of the players are glaring at Todoroki, Kazuya is silently narrowing his eyes at Shunpei. He grits his teeth and glares daggers at Shunpei, who accepts it in stride. The Yakushi players return to the dugout while the Seidou players get in position to defend. Kazuya shakes his head as he changes gears.

Play ball.


	15. Chapter 15

Yukari takes a deep breath as she reads the batting lineup. Yakushi's cleanup batter, Todoroki, is moved to become the first batter. It all depends on Furuya and Miyuki's battery to stop Yakushi from scoring too many runs. While Furuya's pitches aren't the easiest to hit, knowing Todoroki, anything can happen.

"He took down Ichidaisan's ace, Manaka, fair and square," Chris says, "How will Furuya fare against him?"

 _This first pitch could decide the whole match. Be careful, Furuya_ , Yukari thinks as she eyes the dark-haired, first year pitcher as he winds up. His first pitch is a high ball, but Todoroki doesn't even flinch. The next pitch is a low ball, and again, Todoroki is motionless. In fact, he laughs obnoxiously after each pitch.

"I thought he'd be more aggressive, but he's not swinging," Chris observes.

"Yeah," Kataoka agrees.

Yukari watches as Todoroki lifts his bat slightly higher. The third pitch is a high fastball, and he finally moves. He hits the ball towards the right-center fence and lands in second base. _Trying to win against the pitch's power by swinging from above, huh? He could've gone to third base… not the brightest bulb in the bunch, apparently_.

The next batter is up and Kazuya asks for a splitter to calm Furuya down. The next pitch is another high fastball, and this batter uses the same strategy as Todoroki by swinging from above. The ball is hit right on the left foul line and Todoroki scores as the batter lands in first base.

"Furuya's fastball got hit twice in a row…" Oota says, "And the hits are actually flying forward. Should we assume their batters are as good as Osaka Kiryu?"

 _No… they were_ aiming _for Furuya's high fastballs…_ Yukari bites her lower lip. _They've done their research. If Todoroki gets on base, Furuya has to throw from the stretch. They know that his balls get slightly slower when he does. That's why they used him as the leadoff man; because he_ can _get on base, one way or another._ She eyes Coach Todoroki in Yakushi's dugout. _They're good…_

The players in the diamond gather in the mound to calm Furuya down. Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it. _Well, this is a good opportunity to teach him the importance of ball control, even if it's the hard way. As long as he believes in his teammates, he can focus on the batter. Just leave the runners to them, Furuya._

Furuya pitches a fastball for the first pitch and the next batter fouls it. Yukari watches the batter as she writes down on her notebook. _He's got power and speed on his swings. Even though he's a first year, no wonder he was part of the cleanup batters in the match against Ichidaisan_ , she then turns her attention to Kazuya. _Get us a strike, Furuya, Kazuya._

Yukari scans the diamond as Furuya winds up and the runner on first runs for second base.

"Steal!" Tetsu yells.

 _Get him out, Kazuya… use that shoulder of yours!_ Yukari thinks as she watches Kazuya. Not one to disappoint her, Kazuya stands from his seated position to catch the bouncing splitter Furuya threw and throws the ball towards Youichi at second base without any pause. Furuya crouches to avoid the ball from hitting him. Youichi catches the ball while stepping on the base.

"Out!"

Yukari smirks as Seidou's crowd goes wild. _I expect nothing less. That kind of stunt you pull is one of the reasons why you're one of my favorite catchers of all time_.

"That was a big play," Chris says with a smile on his face.

"Yeah," Kataoka says, "Now, they can't steal so easily."

At the end of the top of first, Yakushi only manages to score one run. Seidou is on offense next, but Shunpei isn't pitching yet. Youichi easily gets on base and steals second base during Ryousuke's at-bat. Ryousuke does a sacrifice bunt to advance Youichi to third. Jun hits the ball hard towards center field, bringing Youichi home while Jun arrives at second. During Tetsu's at-bat, unfortunately he hits the ball straight into the third baseman's mitt. Masuko doesn't disappoint and hits a two-run homer.

"He didn't swing wide that time," Chris comments.

"Yeah," Kataoka says with a small smile, "If he swings like that, he'll even be able to hit breaking balls."

"But the next batter is…" Yukari eyes her boyfriend who has arrived at the batter's box.

She knows what's about to happen. She doesn't understand why, but Kazuya is extremely unreliable in a no-runner situation, unless they're in a severe pinch. She guesses the pressure motivates him, but she wishes he can still hit something in normal situations. She rolls her eyes when, as expected, Kazuya messes up by hitting the ball straight towards the pitcher. With the score of 3-1 for Seidou, it's time to change.

The next batter, oddly enough, doesn't hit Furuya's first pitch, which is a high fastball. _Their coach might have given different commands to different batters. Very nice,_ Yukari thinks. She watches as Kazuya gives the signal for the stretch to Furuya, and Furuya slide steps and pitches a strike. She smirks. _Nice._

Furuya does the same for the third pitch, and the batter hits it. Tetsu dives for the ball and Yukari can't hold back a small smile when she sees Furuya naturally covering first base before Kazuya can tell him to.

"Heeh. Apparently if he puts his mind to it, he can do it," Yukari comments, "Well, it's a given since he's been practicing base covers a lot."

"You can only get experience from playing real games. Being the starting pitcher for four games early in his first year will be a big investment," Chris says.

Kataoka smirks, "Hmph. That kind of play is a requirement for a pitcher. He still has many things he lacks as a pitcher."

 _That's true. This is only the beginning._

xXx

After Furuya and Tetsu's fine plays, Seidou manages to hold Yakushi from scoring. Furuya even manages to hit straight to the screen during his at-bat, scoring another run for Seidou. When he returns to the dugout, he eyes the head coach with intent clear in his eyes. Yukari sighs. _Not this one, not that one… all pitchers are egotists._

"Miyuki. It's sooner than we planned," Kataoka says, "But I'm switching Furuya from their second cycle."

"Ah, yes," Kazuya says. Yukari snickers at Furuya's shock. When his aura flares, Haruichi tries his best to calm him down.

"Furuya," Kataoka calls out, "Yakushi's eight and nine-holes were cleanups before their first years stepped in. Go take them out fair and square," at his command, Furuya's eyes widen, "After that, you'll go into left field in place of Sakai. So you can go back to the mound at any time."

 _It's true. It would be a shame to take him off the game at this point. As long as he doesn't tire himself out, that is_ , Yukari thinks as she eyes Furuya.

Sakai, who has just returned from batting, looks down, "I'm sorry. I couldn't expand on our chance."

"S-Sakai! When did you get out? Did you just hear that?" Oota asks. Sakai ignores him and walks into the dugout.

"Furuya," Sakai calls out, "You don't have an outfield glove, do you? You can use mine when you go out."

Yukari smirks at Furuya's shocked look. She turns her body a little and smiles a little at her upperclassman's back. _Sakai-san…_

"It has a deep pocket, and I take good care of it. It may look old, but I think it'll be easy to use," Sakai continues, "Well, I can't do anything about it smelling like sweat."

During their next defense turn, the eighth batter hits the ball to the backstop. Yukari winces when Kazuya tenaciously chases after it, using his leg to stop himself from hitting the backstop when his body is sliding towards it. Furuya manages to out the ninth batter with three strikes.

The batting lineup comes to an end, which means the next batter is Todoroki.

The head coach nods at Kazuya, who nods back. He asks for a pitcher change. When Yukari first heard of the pitcher relay plan, she thinks that while it's risky, it could work. She watches as Furuya exchanges his glove with Sakai's while Sawamura runs to the mound. After Sakai returns to the dugout, she gives him a towel.

After warming up with Kazuya, before he can finish his tagline, Sawamura stops. Yukari frowns. _Now that's unusual._ She watches as Kazuya approaches him and Sawamura starts blabbering. _Is he seriously nervous? It's not like him…_ she waits as Kazuya talks to him, and the catcher returns to his post.

Sawamura winds up and Yukari frowns at the course of his pitch. _There's no way Kazuya asked for that…_ Kazuya calmly catches the ball to the inside, which Yukari is most certain that he didn't ask for. _It's only the second cycle with a new pitcher. Kazuya's aggressive, but he's careful. He'd ask for a ball first to watch how Todoroki reacts._

"Strike!"

Yukari watches Kazuya and bites her lower lip, "He's mad…" she says under her breath.

"Hmm? Who is mad, Ichikawa?" Oota asks.

"Kazuya," Yukari says. She winces when, true to her words, Kazuya throws the ball back to Sawamura harshly. _If I was him, I'd be mad too. We have a plan here, and he almost just ruined it_ , she eyes Sawamura. _Switch your gears, Sawamura. You're not fighting Todoroki alone._

The next pitch is an outside low ball, and Todoroki doesn't even flinch. In fact, he looks more excited than when he was batting against Furuya. Todoroki manages to foul the next pitch down the left foul line, with Masuko diving for it.

Oota groans, "This isn't good for my heart. Sawamura's not suited for this."

Yukari ignores him and watches as Todoroki swings a couple of times in the batter's box. She notices that Todoroki has started to swing later. _They really have done their research… well, we've implanted the moving fastball into his head, so… take him on with an inside four-seam, Sawamura. Show us your heartfelt pitching that made Kantoku believe in you._

Sawamura throws and Todoroki gets jammed by it. The ball flies high, but doesn't go far. Masuko, Youichi, and Ryousuke chase after it when Sawamura manages to catch it in his glove. As the crowd goes wild, Seidou players return to the dugout.

Yukari notices someone walking out from the Yakushi dugout. She narrows her eyes when she sees Shunpei walking towards the bullpen. She can't lie and say that she's not worried, in more ways than one. While she has told everyone what she knew about Shunpei, those one and a half years when they were apart could make all the difference.

 _Not to mention…_ she warily eyes Kazuya, who is taking his catching gear off. _Shunpei must've said something to Kazuya to provoke him._

While she was focusing on Shunpei, Ryousuke has made it to second base with the help of Jun's sacrifice hit. The next batter is Tetsu. He hits the ball right down the center field, bringing Ryousuke home while he gets on base.

When Yukari notices Coach Todoroki stepping out of the dugout, she clicks her tongue. The P.A. system announces change in players for Yakushi. She watches as Shunpei enters the diamond.

"Here he comes," Jun says.

As Shunpei stands on the mound, the Yakushi players start to make fun of Todoroki, lighting up the atmosphere.

"The mood's completely changed with that pitcher's appearance," Oota says.

"There's no mistaking it," Chris says.

"Yeah," Kataoka says, "He is undoubtedly the ace of the team."

The next batter is Masuko. Yukari can't help but smirk when she watches Shunpei's unusual wind up form. _It brings back memories…_ her eyes widen when she watches the trajectory of the pitch. _It's gonna…!_

The pitch hits Masuko on his elbow guard.

Yukari shakes her head as she pinches the bridge of her nose. _He hasn't changed one bit. He's still an idiot._

"Dead ball!"

"Where's that pitcher throwing?! We're lucky it only hit his elbow guard!" Sawamura yells.

"You're one to talk," Youichi says.

"Yeah, Eijun-kun has no right to say that," Haruichi adds.

Yukari eyes Masuko on the first base from the dugout and catches his eye. She silently asks him if he's okay, and he gives her a thumb up to say that he's fine. She nods in approval. But when she sees the next batter, she can't help but be a bit worried.

It's Kazuya's turn to bat.

She's not all too worried about Kazuya's ability to bat, considering there are runners on base, especially on second, where he can clearly see one. She's just worried about what Shunpei might do to him.

xXx

Shunpei throws a high fastball near Kazuya's face. Kazuya leans back to avoid it. _That was close, damn it… I can't believe he has the nerve to do that with a grin on his face after that dead ball,_ he thinks as he repositions his hold on the bat.

The next pitch is another ball.

Kazuya glares at Shunpei, who is grinning at him. As much as it pains him to admit it, he can't shake off what he said to him before he entered the dugout.

" _I have to hand it to you, man. Yukari's a real catch," Shunpei says the second he's sure Yukari isn't around to hear him._

" _Yeah, I got lucky," Kazuya says with a fake humble smile on his face. The second he found out that his precious girlfriend's childhood friend intends on taking her from him, he can hardly hide his persistent jealous streak anymore._

" _So how long have you guys been dating?" Shunpei asks._

" _Since June last year," Kazuya answers easily._

" _Heeh. Not too long after school year starts; I'm impressed. She usually needs more time to befriend a guy. Even when we were children, I needed almost a year before she actually asked_ me _to hang out with her instead of the other way around, and another two years until she drops the honorifics," Shunpei says with a sigh, and then he shrugs, "But I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from the legendary guy who managed to make Yukari like baseball again," he says with a smirk._

" _You mentioned that earlier too. What do you mean by that? Yuka-chan hated baseball once?"_ I can't even imagine that, _Kazuya thinks with a frown. His eyebrows narrow even further when Shunpei laughs._

" _Wouldn't you like to know?" Shunpei says with a smirk, "Why don't you ask Yukari yourself about that?"_

" _That's…"_

" _Ah, but I guess it would be hard, wouldn't it? Yukari isn't really one to open up about herself, after all," Shunpei cuts Kazuya off with a smirk, "But I_ do _know about it, so… what does it mean for your relationship if after dating for more than a year, she's still keeping something important about herself that actually involves_ you _?"_

 _Kazuya flinches at his words. Shunpei laughs, "Be careful, Miyuki. If you're not vigilant enough, the spot in the Top 4 isn't gonna be the only thing I'll take away from you."_

Kazuya grits his teeth. He was irritated enough before the close ball to his face, but after that pitch, he's _pissed._ Shunpei winds up again and Kazuya grins when he sees the ball. His eyes widen when the ball changes course. _Damn it, it's a cutter! I can't believe I forgot about that pitch!_ He jams the pitch and runs for the first base, but unfortunately, Yakushi manages a double play.

xXx

"Our clutch hitter, Miyuki… what exactly was that pitch?" Oota asks, "He had perfect timing, but he got jammed!"

Kazuya returns to the dugout, "I'm sorry," he says as he takes off his helmet, "I ruined our chance."

"What was that pitch?" Kataoka asks.

"That was the cutter," Yukari answers clearly, gaining the attention of the players in the dugout, "I told you, right? It's seriously troublesome. It breaks right before the batter. It doesn't break as much as a slider and it's just as fast as a fastball. That's why he focuses so much on throwing to the inside," she eyes Sawamura, "Just like yours, his fastballs move. But unlike you, he can control where the ball moves."

"Interesting," Youichi says, "So he's the upgraded version of Sawamura."

"But we managed to drag him out this early in the game. Not to mention we've got some information on him thanks to Yuka-chan," Kazuya says, "We'll quickly figure out how to take him down," he says with a laugh.

"You sure switch gears fast!" Sawamura comments.

"You have your own working style. It's not like you're an inferior pitcher," Kazuya says.

"Don't praise him too much. It'll get to his head," Yukari says, "Well, so far, you've done well. Just don't mess up."

Sawamura's eyes widen when the other players start to encourage him in their own ways. But Yukari isn't paying attention anymore. She stands up and approaches Kazuya, who has just got his gears put on with the help of two other players. She hands him his face guard.

"Thanks, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he takes the face guard from her.

"Did you forget about the cutter?" Yukari asks. She frowns when Kazuya avoids her eyes.

"I did. Sorry. My head's in another place," Kazuya admits.

"Get a hold of yourself. It's not like you to get distracted in a match," Yukari says, "Don't let him get to you."

"Yeah…" Yukari frowns deeper at his absentminded tone. He doesn't seem to have paid attention to anything she just said. But before she can ask if he's alright, Kazuya is already running towards the diamond. She sighs as she returns to her seat.

While Sawamura manages to hold Yakushi off, Shunpei is doing the same to Seidou.

As they enter the fifth inning, Kataoka sends Tanba to the bullpen. From what Yukari heard from Kazuya, the three other pitchers were told to play as though Tanba isn't going to, while the head coach promised Tanba that he can enter the bullpen at the fifth inning.

In the sixth inning, Todoroki will be batting again. While the plan says that they should change pitchers every time they get back to the top of the batting lineup, Yukari wonders what Kataoka will do, since Sawamura has been pitching consistently. It would be a shame to take him out when he's on such a roll.

During the eighth batter's at-bat, Sawamura manages to jam him but Ryousuke and Tetsu can't catch the ball.

"He's calm. He's keeping his eyes on the runner," Chris comments on Sawamura.

As Sawamura winds up, the batter positions for a bunt. Yukari's eyes widen. _Yakushi is bunting?!_ When the batter manages to bunt, she clicks her tongue. _Not to mention, that's a great bunt!_ Tetsu manages to catch the ball and throws it to Ryousuke who is covering first base, but the runner on first advances to second.

The next batter is Todoroki. Yukari eyes the head coach as she wonders what he will do.


	16. Chapter 16

**The conclusion of the Seidou vs. Yakushi match! And let me tell you, I'm really excited about next week's worth of chapters, so I suggest you guys get yourselves ready.**

* * *

It's the top of sixth, and Todoroki is at-bat. According to the pitcher relay plan, it's time for Nori to replace Sawamura. But with Sawamura pitching consistently, Yukari wonders what Kataoka has in mind.

The head coach then sends Haruichi as a messenger to tell the players in the diamond that Sawamura is staying for this inning.

Todoroki fouls the first pitch, which is a low ball, very hard until it hits the fence. Again, he fouls the second pitch. _He's hitting Sawamura's pitches perfectly…_ Yukari eyes Todoroki warily. _Not to mention he keeps protesting about the ball he pitches. Is he waiting for a certain pitch?_

Yukari flips the pages of her notebook to the page where she wrote Sawamura's pitches during his first fight against Todoroki. _The pitch Sawamura used to strike him out… the four-seam. Is he waiting for that?_ She watches as Kazuya stands up and positions to catch a pitch parallel with Todoroki's head. Yukari frowns. _Is that a good idea?_

Sawamura pitches and Todoroki hits it to the left field. Yukari's eyes follow the ball. From the corner of her eye, she can see Furuya stepping back bit by bit until his back hits the wall, but the ball lands on the stands above the fence. A two-run homer.

"Two runs…" Oota says. Yukari watches as Kazuya apologizes to Sawamura. Even as the other fielders try to encourage him, Yukari can already see the light going out of Sawamura's eyes. _This is bad._

The next batter manages to advance to the first base, while Sawamura walks the batter after that.

Yukari notices movement from the head coach. He steps out of the dugout and calls out, "Pitcher change! Kawakami!"

As expected, when Sawamura steps into the dugout, he looks devastated. Even though some of the players are praising his pitches, he doesn't lift his head.

"That home run pitch. That was the strongest pitch you threw today," Kataoka says. Sawamura finally lifts his head.

"Yes, he hit a home run, but what's important is how you handled it," Chris says, "You tried so hard to stay calm, and in the process, you lost yourself."

"You're just a first year. I'm not looking for a perfect result. You gained valuable experience. Now make something of it," Kataoka says.

Yukari then stands up and decides to help Haruichi help Sawamura cool down. When she puts his shoulder pack on, she says, "That home run pitch was an error on Kazuya's part. You just followed his lead. Don't blame yourself too much."

Sawamura nods at her. After what Kataoka said to him, he looks a little bit better. She pats Sawamura's shoulder and returns to her seat. When she checks the scoreboard, Yakushi has gained another run with one out and runners on second and third.

 _This is bad. If we can't stop their offense now, we'll lose for sure._

At Kataoka's orders, Kazuya commands the infielders to move in. Unfortunately, Nori isn't doing well today, as he doesn't manage to throw a low pitch. The ball is hit, but Masuko manages to catch it and outs the runner on third trying to run home.

xXx

During his at-bat, Tetsu manages to hit a two-run homer.

"Yes! That's why you're the captain, Yuuki!" Oota exclaims.

"He occasionally throws meatballs, doesn't he?" Chris says.

"Yeah," Kataoka agrees.

"Like I said, his weakness is in his stamina. He has a weird form, doesn't he?" Yukari asks.

"He does," Chris says.

"When he throws, he pulls the ground with his left foot and he transfers all of his power from the ground to his upper body. By doing so, his pitch speed increases, but it burdens his left leg heavier than it would on a normal pitcher. I don't think he'll last much longer," Yukari explains.

She watches as Shunpei apologizes to the fielders for the problem he's going to cause, and then he pitches. Masuko jams the pitch and gets out before he can reach the first base.

"Furuya," the head coach calls out before the players return to the diamond, "Have your shoulder and mindset ready. Depending on how Kawakami plays, I might put you back on the mound."

Furuya nods and runs towards the diamond. The next batter is Todoroki, and Yukari is worried. Nori's weakness lies in his lack of mental strength. Not to mention he hasn't been showing the ball control that he usually has. She's suspicious that he has already lost the battle of heart after seeing Todoroki's home run he hit off of Sawamura.

"Four runs allowed in the seven innings," Kataoka says to Tanba, "Furuya, Sawamura, and Kawakami have been throwing very well. Now it's up to how calmly you can pitch on the mound. We're up by two runs with two innings to go. In this game, there will come a time when you are needed, as a third year, and more importantly, as the ace."

When Yukari turns her focus back to the diamond, Nori has walked Todoroki to first base, and the next batter is up. After two pitches, the count is 1-1, and the batter is positioned for a bunt. While Nori winds up, Todoroki steals and the batter changes his grip to a normal one. Kazuya manages to catch the ball, which the batter missed, and throws it to Youichi at second base. But the umpire deems Todoroki safe.

 _Kazuya… I knew it; he's acting weird…_ the count is 1-2, no out, and a runner on second. Nori pitches, and the batter hits it towards Ryousuke. Kazuya commands him to throw to first to out the runner since they can't out Todoroki going to third.

"Focus on the batter!"

Yukari turns her head when she hears Sawamura shouting at Nori. She's taken aback as his smile and voice have returned.

"Don't worry about the runner! One out at a time! Five more outs!"

Yukari smiles softly at the first year southpaw. _Sawamura…_

"Kawakami-senpai is gonna let some hits through, so fielders, thank you beforehand!"

 _As I thought, his heart is really strong,_ Yukari thinks. She smirks when she can see Nori looking brighter. Kazuya then commands the infielders to move up. The batter fouls Nori's first two pitches. The count is 2-2. Nori then pitches a high inside ball, which the batter fouls again.

The batter hits the next pitch down the center field, but Youichi can't catch it in time, and Todoroki scores. Yukari grits her teeth. _He got that low slider? Damn it… what kind of first years are they?_

The next batter hits Nori's first pitch towards right-center field and Jun catches it. He throws it towards first, but the runner going for second manages to return to first just in time. Again, the next batter hits Nori's first pitch towards right field, sending the runner on first to third. Runners on first and third.

Next up is Shunpei. Before he can even reach the batter's box, Kataoka steps out of the dugout.

"Seidou High School has announced a change of players. Replacing eighth batter and pitcher, Kawakami-kun is pitcher, Tanba-kun. Batting eighth and pitcher, Tanba-kun."

xXx

The top of eighth, two outs and runners on first and third. For the first time in the summer regional tournament, Seidou's ace steps into the mound.

"Nice pitch, Nori," Yukari says as she hands him his shoulder pack when he returns to the dugout, "Cool down properly, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks, Ichikawa," Nori says.

"Nice pitching," Chris says.

"You showed great tenacity," Kataoka says.

"Here's cold tea!" Sawamura offers, "Great work out there!"

Yukari sits back down and watches as the usual players make fun of Tanba's new hair – or lack thereof. She can't hold back a smile at their antics. They really know how to calm down a pitcher, she can give them that.

Shunpei enters the batter's box. Tanba winds up and Shunpei hits the pitch to the backstop. Shunpei then fouls the second pitch. Both pitches are very strong fastballs, but they're not within the course that Kazuya asks for. Tanba pitches for the third time but it bounces and Kazuya can't catch it with his mitt. Instead, he stops it with his bare hand while glaring at the runner on third. Yukari winces. _That must hurt._

"T-The curve is supposed to be Tanba's best pitch. It looks like he's not fully back yet," Oota comments.

"He knows that more than anyone," Kataoka says, "I put him on the mound because he knows he's not 100%," he says, much to Oota and Chris' astonishment.

Yukari sighs and returns her focus to the game. Tanba pitches a ball right towards Shunpei's face which curves down into Kazuya's mitt. Yukari frowns at the course.

"Strike! Batter out!"

Tanba roars as the players return to the dugout.

"Nice pitch, Tanba-san," Yukari says with a small smile. She frowns when he looks a little bit conflicted, "What's wrong?"

"I've been working with Miyuki for almost two years now, but I don't think I've ever seen him this rash," Tanba says.

"Actually, I felt that too," Nori adds from behind Yukari, "Some of the pitches he called were unusually aggressive. It's like he's mad at them."

"Eh? I thought he has always been like that… Yakushi is strong, aren't they? Especially that cleanup and their ace," Sawamura says, "But his calls during their at-bats are different than the others, though. Is it just me?" he wonders.

"Apparently, it's not just you," Tanba says, "I don't know about Todoroki, but when Sanada was batting, he deliberately asked for me to throw a curve right at his face. Not to mention he put his mitt really deep into his chest for the first two pitches, like he wanted to scare him with a dead ball," Yukari frowns deeply as she listens to Tanba's explanation. When he sees her expression, he pats her head, "But don't think about it too much, Ichikawa. I'm sorry I brought it up."

Yukari shakes her head as she sighs sharply, "No… I think know what's wrong. Thank you for telling me that," she knows _exactly_ what's wrong; Shunpei had managed to get into Kazuya's head. But because he can't fight him directly, he's asking the pitchers to do his dirty work for him. _Damn you, Shunpei…_

Yukari stands up from her seat and approaches Kazuya with faux calmness. Kazuya has two people helping him take off his catcher gear as he converses with Youichi. Without a word, she takes Kazuya's right hand in hers and squeezes it as hard as she can.

"Ouch…" Kazuya hisses.

"Oh, does it hurt? I wonder why," Yukari says sarcastically, "You've been playing really aggressively today; moreso than usual."

Kazuya laughs, but doesn't meet Yukari's eyes; in fact, he's avoiding them, "I thought you like it when I'm aggressive, Yuka-chan?" he says playfully, to Youichi's amusement. In a normal situation, Yukari would react exactly as Kazuya wants her to; by blushing. But at the moment, she isn't having any of it.

"Not at the expense of the team, no," Yukari says lowly, "The things that you did were bordering on idiotic, Kazuya. Your thoughtless lead led Todoroki to hit a home run off of Sawamura. You almost broke him, but fortunately, he's stronger than that. You also stopped Tanba-san's curveball with your _bare hand_. Not to mention you forgot an important piece of information about Shunpei that could gain us the upper hand…"

Yukari frowns when Kazuya's eyes narrow angrily when she said Shunpei's name. _I knew it. It_ is _about what Shunpei said to him before the match_ , "Are you playing like this to win the match for the sake of the team or to prove a point to Shunpei?" She asks firmly. When she notices his eyes widening, she glares at him, "Put your freaking feelings off the diamond, Miyuki, you're tarnishing the game," she says coldly.

Everyone turns to look at Yukari, slightly afraid of her icy tone that she uses only when she's _furious_. If she was shouting angrily, maybe she wouldn't be as scary. Not to mention she just called her boyfriend with his surname instead of his given name as she usually does. Everyone who knows her well knows that she is _mad_.

The baseball team watches warily as the ever-so-composed Miyuki Kazuya flinches at the cold glare given to him by _Seidou no Yukihime_. Usually her glare never fazes him. Not this time, though.

"Making the pitchers do the dirty work for you? I didn't know you could be this dirty," Yukari growls. When Kazuya continues to avoid her eyes, she squeezes his right hand. Kazuya winces as he hisses in pain, "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" she shouts as she starts to lose patience, panting after she does. Kazuya's shocked eyes finally meet her angry ones. She can also feel the other players' shocked look as they have never heard her raise her voice before.

"I don't know what Shunpei told you; frankly, I don't even _care._ But I told you, didn't I? _Don't_ let it affect the game. You're mocking the hard work of your teammates by letting your feelings control you. If you don't switch your gears soon, just get off the freaking diamond and cool down," she continues to glare at him and whispers, "This is why I was so wary of dating you."

Judging by Kazuya's reaction – his head snapping up to look at her with wide eyes –, he heard her last sentence. It might have been a low blow, but he needs to understand how much she hated him playing irrationally just because he was jealous. It was exactly the reason why Kataoka discouraged intra-squad relationship. They had promised the head coach that they will not let their personal feelings affect the team play.

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her earphones, putting it into her ears as she returns to her seat beside Chris, ending the mostly one-sided argument. Kazuya clicks his tongue before he enters the dugout and sits in the corner, as far away as he can from Yukari.

xXx

During the bottom of eighth, Seidou manages to get more runs as Shunpei starts to grow more tired. He's even lost his usual smirk that he gives Kazuya every time he's at bat. Furuya fails to get on base as Yakushi pulls off a double play.

"Furuya has to play the outfield while always being ready to pitch again," Chris says, "His fatigue may be building up."

"Kadota," Kataoka calls out to the players in the bullpen, "Is your shoulder warmed up? Take the left field this inning."

"Yes, sir!" Furuya, who has just returned to the dugout, gapes in devastation at Kataoka's decision.

"Don't forget to stretch and cool down, Furuya. Ichikawa," Kataoka says. Yukari silently takes her earphones off, "Furuya needs to cool down. And so do you."

Yukari sighs sharply and nods, "I understand. Come, Furuya."

"Y-Yes…" Furuya says, sounding slightly scared. Yukari can't blame him. Ever since they started dating, the arguments that she and Kazuya have are petty ones; the type that holds no kind of threat to their relationship. That was the first time Yukari has ever raised her voice at Kazuya; in front of an audience, no less.

But Yukari has to be honest and say that she doesn't regret it one bit. Despite his calm façade, Yukari knows that Kazuya gets set off pretty easily. She also knows that Shunpei is exactly the type of person that will try to set someone off for his own gain. But what he's trying to gain, she doesn't know. All she knows is that he's not going to get it.

"…senpai? Ichikawa-senpai…? A-Aneki?"

Haruichi's voice breaks her thought bubble. Yukari shakes her head, "Sorry," she says before helping Furuya with the shoulder pack, "There you go."

"Thank you, Ichikawa-senpai," Furuya says. Ever since she told him to stop apologizing, the first year pitcher has started thanking Yukari instead, which she doesn't mind.

Instead of returning to her seat beside Chris, she takes a seat beside Furuya at the back of the dugout. She leans her head against the wall and winces minutely when she feels pain coming from her chest. She tries to take a deep breath, but feels as though the air won't fill her lungs. She hasn't been able to breathe properly since shouting at Kazuya.

 _What could Shunpei possibly say to Kazuya to set him off? Is it because Shunpei openly said that he's still interested in me?_ Yukari shakes her head as she pants. _No, Kazuya knows that I'll never leave him._

But then her eyes widen in realization. _Does he_ know _that? Is that it? Does this have something to do with him being unsure about if I would stay with him or not?_ She straightens in her seat and eyes Kazuya in the diamond. _If that's the case… then I think I know what to do._

Yukari takes a deep breath – silently feeling relieved when she manages to do it – before exhaling it slowly through her mouth to switch gears. She stands up and pats Furuya's head, "Cool down properly, okay?"

"Okay," Furuya simply says. Yukari makes her way back to the seat beside Chris.

"Are you feeling better, Ichikawa?" Chris asks.

"Yes," Yukari answers.

"What you did was necessary," Kataoka says, "You know I don't like it when players bring their personal feelings into the game, especially if it may endanger the team. But you need to make sure this doesn't happen again, Ichikawa. You two promised me that this won't happen when you first told me about your relationship. Consider this your first warning."

"I understand. I'm sorry, Kantoku," Yukari says with a small bow. She focuses on the match and sees that the ninth batter has entered the batter's box with two outs. She watches as Kazuya spreads his arms wide and punches his mitt. Tanba nods at him. He pitches and the batter jams it. But Masuko misses the ball before he chases after it and throws it to Tetsu. The umpire deems the runner safe.

The next batter is Todoroki. Kazuya nods at Kataoka, who answers it with his own nod. _Kazuya… please get your act together. So far, Todoroki's got two hits; Furuya's fastball and Sawamura's high ball. You know what to do._

The first pitch is a low outside curveball, while the second one is an outside fastball. Both of them are called a ball, and Todoroki moves at neither. Tanba pitches the third one and Yukari's eyes widen. _That's not good…_ Todoroki steps hard to get ready to hit the ball. He hits the ball right into the ground beside Kazuya and the ball bounces to the backstop.

"Foul!"

Yukari frowns. _He messed up? Could he be… feeling the pressure of having to save his team from defeat?_ She sighs. _No matter how good his swings are, he really is still a first year._ She sees Kazuya eyeing Todoroki, but then positions his mitt for an outside pitch. _Call for a strong fastball, Kazuya…_ Tanba pitches the fastball and Todoroki fouls it again. _We've got him cornered. Now, let's show them Tanba-san's new weapon._

Tanba winds up and pitches his forkball. Todoroki steps hard to hit it, but the ball falls right before his bat. The pitch is a ball, but because he swung it's a strike.

"Strike! Batter out! Game set!"

The game ends with the score of 8-5 for Seidou.


	17. Chapter 17

**We're taking a step away from baseball to learn a little bit more about Yukari's past and indulge in some fluff. Hope you enjoy~!**

* * *

Both teams line up and bow at each other. After shaking hands with the players in front of them, Shunpei approaches Kazuya.

"You guys won fair and square. Congratulations," Shunpei says as he holds out his hand for Kazuya to shake.

"You guys gave us a run for our money too," Kazuya says as he shakes Shunpei's hand.

"I'm gonna tell you a secret," Shunpei says as they pull their hands away. Kazuya frowns as Shunpei leans forward with a cheeky grin, "I wasn't being serious earlier."

"Huh?"

Shunpei laughs, "Did you actually take me seriously when I said I'll take Yukari from you?! I was just pulling your leg! I didn't know you'd be so fired up!" he then smirks at Kazuya, "Don't worry. My feelings for her are a thing of the past. Don't get me wrong; I love her, but only like a very, very annoying brother. She's a dear friend of mine and I don't wanna lose her," he grins at Kazuya, "Besides, there's no way that she'll leave you."

"I don't know if I should believe you after what you pulled," Kazuya growls. He glares at Shunpei when he laughs.

"I'm being serious!" Shunpei pats Kazuya's shoulder, "It's not my story to tell, but it's about how Yukari stopped liking baseball once," when Kazuya frowns at his feet, Shunpei sighs, "The reason why I know it isn't because she told me about it voluntarily. Half of it is because I was there when part of it happened, and the other is because I got her mother to tell me, after a _lot_ of begging on my part."

"Is it really that big of a secret?" Kazuya asks.

Shunpei scoffs, "I personally don't really think so. But Yukari _is_ a special case. She's just more private than most; you know that," Kazuya looks at Shunpei when he grabs his shoulders, "Trust me on this. If Yukari really does have strong feelings about you, she'll tell you herself, sooner or later."

Kazuya smirks, "Geez, Sanada, are you comforting me?"

"Just because you look pathetic!" Shunpei laughs as he pulls his hands away, "I'll still kick your ass if you try to hurt her, though; childhood friend privileges and all that. Oh, and…" Shunpei smirks at Kazuya, "I gotta say this. Playing against you makes me feel kinda nostalgic."

Kazuya frowns, "Huh? But we've never played each other before."

"It's because the way you play really reminds me of Yukari's, only a bit more aggressive. But I guess that's half my fault, huh!" Shunpei laughs, "And I think that's why she was attracted to you in the first place. She's kind of a narcissist," he grins as he walks towards Yakushi's dugout with a wave above his shoulders, "I'm giving you my childhood friend stamp of approval, Miyuki! I'll see you around!"

xXx

After cleaning up the dugout, Yukari steps out of the stadium, slower than the other players as she's still trying to avoid Kazuya should she say something that will potentially hurt either of them. She saw Kazuya speaking with Shunpei after lining up. She doesn't know what they were talking about, but fortunately it looked civil. After returning to the dugout, Kazuya wordlessly took the ice box that was supposed to be her responsibility. Yukari couldn't help but smile at his thoughtfulness.

"Congrats, Yukari."

Yukari snaps out of her daydream and turns, "Thanks, Shunpei," she says as she eyes him warily.

"Don't look at me like that!" Shunpei says with a laugh, "I was only joking, but apparently he took it seriously. If there's anyone to blame, it's–"

"You," Yukari cuts him off, "You're the worst, Shunpei."

Shunpei smiles apologetically, "Yeah. Sorry," he then looks serious, "But if he believed in what I said to him, that means you're not completely in the right, Yukari."

Yukari looks down at her feet, "…yeah, I know."

"I'm not gonna force you, but in my opinion, he deserves to know. I mean, it's about his role in your life; it's unfair that he doesn't get to know," Shunpei says, "I know the reason why you won't ever leave him, Yukari, but if you don't tell _him_ , he'll never know."

Yukari looks up and stares straight into Shunpei's eyes, "I know. And you're right."

"I know I'm right," Shunpei smirks. Yukari mirrors his smirk.

"Thanks, I guess, Shunpei."

"Anytime. I still hold the right to kick his ass if he hurts you, though."

Yukari scoffs, "Be my guest."

"Anyways, if I wasn't mistaken, I think I saw your parents in Seidou's stands."

Yukari's eyes widen, "Seriously? They didn't say anything about coming…"

"Well, your mom's kinda unpredictable, so I wouldn't put it past her to surprise you," Shunpei grins, "Say hi to them for me. Oh, and to Kaori-san too."

Yukari frowns in confusion, "You're not gonna see them first?" she asks, sounding almost sad. Shunpei smirks.

"Don't look so sad, Yukari. I'll still see them when I go home. I gotta get back to the bus before they leave me behind."

"Sanada-senpai!"

From over Shunpei's shoulder, Yukari can see Todoroki Raichi. Shunpei then grins at her, "Tell your mom I miss her miso soup."

Yukari smirks, "Will do. See you later, Shunpei."

"Tell me when you're going home! Let's play catch together for old time's sake!" Shunpei shouts as he runs towards where Todoroki is.

"I'll hold you to that!" Yukari calls out. She sighs as she repositions her sports bag on her shoulders. When she can't see Shunpei anymore, she continues her trek towards Seidou's bus.

She frowns when she sees the players crowding around the bus. When she takes a better look, she sees Kataoka and Rei talking to two people that she hasn't seen since the beginning of the school year. The one talking to Rei is a red-haired woman and the one talking to Kataoka is a dark-haired man wearing sunglasses. But even with the sunglasses, Yukari knows that his identity is hardly concealed, judging by the star-struck look in some of the Seidou players' face. She sighs as she approaches them.

"How long has this been happening?" Yukari asks the first year players, who are on the very back of the crowd nearest to her.

"A while," Haruichi says.

"What's the deal with that sunglasses dude, though?" Sawamura wonders. Furuya also looks confused.

"You guys don't know?!" Jun whisper-shouts, "That's Ichikawa Kawanomu, the former starting catcher for the national team!"

"I can't believe I'm seeing him in real life!" Youichi says giddily.

Yukari smirks at Youichi, "You look happy, Youichi-kun."

"Of course I am! I'm a big fan of his! He's awesome!" Youichi says.

"Well, there's a reason why he was chosen as the starting catcher," Kazuya says.

"It was a shame he retired early," Tetsu says.

"It's true. He was at his peak when he retired," Chris says.

"I remember our dad being devastated when he heard the news. Do you remember, Haruichi?" Ryousuke asks.

"Oh… was it when Tou-san cried?" Haruichi asks, "It was the first time I've ever seen him cry… I didn't know it was because of that…"

"Why is he here now, though?" Kenjirou wonders.

"Don't tell me he watched the match?!" Nori asked, mortified, "Oh man, I can't believe he saw my performance today…"

"And it seems that he and Kantoku are close," Tanba says, "And is that his wife? She's really beautiful…."

"Uga!" Masuko agrees, but then he narrows his eyes at the red-haired woman, scrutinizing her, "…I feel like I've seen her somewhere before…"

"Hmm?" Chris narrows his eyes, "Now that you mention it…"

"The four of them are Seidou baseball team alumni," Yukari cuts off their thoughts, gaining the attention of all the players, "Kataoka-kantoku and Ichikawa-senshu were a battery, while Ichikawa-senshu's wife and Rei-san were team managers. After graduating high school, they were both offered pro contracts, but only Ichikawa-senshu accepted it, because Kataoka-kantoku wanted to coach Seidou," Yukari explains, "I heard that if Kantoku didn't persuade him to go pro, Ichikawa-senshu would've been a coach in Seidou too."

"Whoa, imagine that; Ichikawa Kawanomu as our coach!" Youichi says with a dreamy look on his face.

"Well, if he coached Seidou, you guys wouldn't have known him as a pro player, though," Yukari says with a shrug. She then smirks, "But, well, he's not a bad coach."

"How come you know so much about it?" Jun wonders. The other players nod in agreement with confused look on their faces.

"You guys haven't worked it out yet? I thought it was obvious," Yukari says as she walks towards where the four Seidou baseball team alumni are. The red-haired woman is squealing excitedly as she converses with Rei, "Stop squealing, geez… you're not young anymore; it's embarrassing."

The red-haired woman excitedly turns at the sound of Yukari's voice, "Yukari!" she exclaims. She then grabs her and hugs her tight until the smaller of the two chokes, "I miss you so much!"

"Okaa-san… can't… breathe…"

"OKAA-SAN?!" the Seidou players exclaim in shock.

"Yayoi, let her go," Ichikawa Kawanomu says with mock exasperation, "Let me have my turn."

"I can't help it! She hasn't come home in a while, so I'm worried!" Ichikawa Yayoi says as she lets Yukari go. Yukari gasps to fill her lungs with air. Yayoi then puts a hand on her daughter's cheeks as she checks her face, "Not to mention she's living in a dorm with a bunch of guys, and one of them is her boyfriend!"

"You lived with us in the dorm too when we were in high school, Yayoi, and we were dating by then too," Kawanomu sighs. He then takes his sunglasses off and grins at Yukari as he spreads his arms wide, "Come here, Yukari."

Yukari sighs and smirks. She puts her bag down on the ground and properly hugs her father, "It's been a while, Otou-san."

"It has. How are you?" Kawanomu asks as he pets Yukari's hair. Yukari takes a deep breath, taking in her father's familiar cologne. She can feel herself relaxing in her father's arms, like what happened with Shunpei and Kazuya was just a dream. _God, I missed Otou-san and Okaa-san so much…_ She sighs as she pulls away.

"Could be better," Yukari answers honestly. She then shrugs, "But don't worry. I'll manage," she smirks at her parents, "You guys could've told me if you were coming to watch, geez…"

"But that would ruin the surprise!" Yayoi says, "And was that Sanada from Yakushi Sanada Shunpei-kun, your friend from home?"

"Yeah," Yukari says, "I didn't know until recently that he's in Yakushi. He told me to say hi to you guys, though. He also said he misses your miso soup, Okaa-san."

"He hasn't been around in a while! You tell me when you guys are coming home; I'll make him as much miso soup as he wants!" Yayoi says, before leaning in to whisper in her daughter's ear, "So, which one is it?"

"Eh?"

"Your boyfriend!" Yayoi whispers excitedly. Yukari bites her lower lip.

"Ah, well… he's the catcher," Yukari answers.

"I knew it! Pay up, Kawanomu!" Yayoi exclaims.

"Tch. I honestly thought that scorekeeping upperclassman of hers was the one," Kawanomu says as he begrudgingly hands over some money to his wife.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "You guys had a bet on which one is my boyfriend?" she shakes her head incredulously, "Unbelievable."

"You're still as unpredictable as ever, Yayoi-chan," Rei says with a wry smile.

As her parents catch up with the scout and the head coach again, Yukari is pulled by the hand towards the players. She turns around and gulps when the players are all eyeing her.

"Oi, Ichikawa… why didn't you tell us anything?" Youichi growls.

"About what?"

"About your father being Ichikawa Kawanomu!" Jun whisper-shouts.

"What good would it do if I tell anyone anyway?" Yukari asks, "Besides, I thought it was obvious. All my relatives told me I look more like Otou-san."

"Ichikawa is a pretty common surname, you know!" Jun growls.

"So that's why Ichikawa-senshu's wife looks kind of familiar," Chris deduces, "Ichikawa inherited her hair color."

"Uga!"

"Ah! Found him~!"

Yukari's eyes widen when Yayoi wraps an arm around Kazuya's shoulder. He flinches at the sudden hug.

"Okaa-san!" Yukari scolds.

"This is Yukari's boyfriend, right?" Yayoi asks excitedly, "He's just as handsome as when he was in gear! Not to mention the glasses!" she leans and fake-whispers to the baseball team members, "Yukari's really weak against guys with glasses, you know~"

"That's not true! Let him go, Okaa-san!" Yukari says.

Yayoi pouts, "Eeeh? I just want to get to know him a little bit better!" even so, she lets him go and smiles at Kazuya, "So what's your name?"

"Miyuki… Kazuya," Kazuya answers hesitantly.

"Miyuki? That's an unusual surname!" Yayoi comments, "So how long have you been playing baseball, Kazuya-kun?"

"Since elementary school…" Kazuya answers.

"Position?"

"I never play anything else but catcher," Kazuya answers, growing a little bit more comfortable around Yukari's mother.

"Just like Kawanomu! You have great taste, Yukari! As expected from my daughter!" Yayoi says as she winks at her daughter, "I once heard that daughters always try to look for similarities with their fathers in a guy they want to date. I guess it's not all wrong!"

Yukari sighs tiredly and pinches the bridge of her nose as some of the players laugh at her flustered state, "Please stop…"

"I have to be honest; the way you play reminds me of Yukari," Yayoi says, "When Yukari played, she was just as bold and aggressive as you."

"…is that so?" Kazuya asks.

"That's true," Kawanomu adds, "Well, we haven't seen her play in a while, but her plays are always memorable."

Yukari avoids looking at anyone as she blushes, "Otou-san, you too? Seriously, please stop."

"I've never seen her play before, so I wouldn't know," Kazuya says. Yukari slowly lifts her head as she gathers some courage to meet Kazuya's eyes, who is looking intently at her.

Yukari sighs, "It's not like I actively avoid it; I just haven't had the chance to play in a match."

"Are you saying that if we arrange a match you can join in, you'll play?" Rei asks with a smirk.

Yukari shrugs, "Sure, why not?"

"When she does, be prepared to fall in love with her all over again!" Yayoi says, giving Kazuya a thumb up. Kazuya laughs.

"That's something to look forward to, I guess," Kazuya says.

Yayoi squeals, "Yukari, I like him so much better than Shunpei-kun!"

"Aren't you guys going home?" Yukari asks exasperatedly, much to the Seidou players' amusement. It's not every day they see the infamous _Seidou no Yukihime_ flustered.

"We are, but you're coming with us, Yukari!" Yayoi says. Yukari frowns.

"Home? But I'm returning to the dorms," she says, "I told you I won't return home until the tournament ends."

"What are you talking about? I've already got permission from Tesshin-kun!" Yayoi says with a small pout.

"Huh?"

"Yukari… have you checked the date?" Kawanomu asks. Yukari frowns and pulls out her phone. She frowns a little when she tries to remember the importance of July 27th, and then her eyes go wide.

 _That's why Shunpei said to say hi to Kaori-nee too…_ "I can't believe I forgot…" Yukari says, slapping a hand to her forehead. Kawanomu smiles softly at her.

"It's okay if you forgot," her father says, "It's not like she'll be mad about it."

Yukari scoffs and smirks, "Of course she won't. I bet she wouldn't even care," she says. She then turns to look at Chris, "I'll come back to the dorms tonight, Chris-senpai," Yukari says, "If I return after the meeting is done, will you keep me updated?"

Chris nods despite his confusion, "Got it."

"Thank you," Yukari says with a small smile, "Let's go," she says to her parents.

"You're not gonna say goodbye to your boyfriend?" Yayoi asks. Yukari inwardly curses, but turns to look at Kazuya. They're silent for a while as they look at each other.

"…I'll see you later?" Kazuya asks.

Yukari nods, "Definitely."

 _We'll talk later_ , Yukari silently says to Kazuya, hoping that he'll understand it through the look in her eyes. Kazuya nods and then she leaves the stadium with her parents.

To the cemetery to visit her older sister's grave for the fourth anniversary of her death.

xXx

The skies are bright with no clouds that night. It's the perfect night sky to stargaze. Yukari returned to the dorms much later than she expected, so she missed the after-match meeting. When she was about to look for Chris, she noticed the time and saw that it was almost 10 PM. She decided to let him rest. After taking a bath, Yukari decides to admire the sky from her favorite spot on the slope beside the training field. That's exactly what she's doing when she hears her boyfriend's voice.

"Can I join you?"

Yukari looks behind her to see Kazuya in his sleepwear, holding a carton of strawberry milk and a bottle of sports drink. Yukari silently pats the spot beside her, and Kazuya warily sits down on that spot. He silently gives her the milk and she nods gratefully. They are silent for a while, the silence only broken by the sound of them drinking their respective drinks, until Kazuya opens his mouth.

"Look… I'm sorry," Kazuya says, "I shouldn't have played like that. After you confronted me, I only just realized that I was playing for the sake of proving something to Sanada instead of for the team. Just… don't tell me that you regret saying yes that day."

"…your hand… is it okay?" Yukari asks, deciding to ignore Kazuya's last sentence.

"…I actually haven't done anything to it. It doesn't really hurt anymore, so I guess it's fine," Kazuya says with a resign sigh. Yukari sighs exasperatedly as she opens her hand.

"Give me your hand," Yukari says. Kazuya silently gives her his right hand. She takes it in her hands and starts to massage it, "Tell me if it hurts."

"It feels good," Kazuya says, "…anyway; Sanada told me he was just trying to get a reaction out of me. But it made me realize something… something that I didn't know was bugging me before."

"…what is it?"

"I'm seriously afraid of losing you, Yuka-chan. Seeing you and Sanada really friendly with each other… hearing that there's something important about you that he knows but I don't… I guess it just kinda hits me that apparently, as much as I hate to admit it, I still know next to nothing about you," Kazuya scoffs, "Hell, I only just found out that your father used to be the catcher for the national team."

Yukari bites her lower lip, "I know… I'm sorry; that's my fault. I shouldn't have kept this from you for so long; you deserve to know about this because it involves you."

Kazuya frowns, "…what do you mean by that?"

Yukari takes a deep breath as she tries to hold back the blush that is coloring her cheeks, but to no avail. She lets go of Kazuya's hand as she says, "You're responsible of making me who I am today, Kazuya. I owe you for that."

"…does this have something to do with what Sanada said about me bringing baseball back to your life?" Kazuya asks.

Yukari heaves a deep sigh, "Yes. I've never really talked about this to anyone. Even my mother had to ask for my permission first to tell this to Shunpei. I didn't want him to know, but he kept begging to be told. But I want – no, _need_ – to tell you this myself."

"…I'm listening."

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it, "It's a long story, so prepare yourself," she stops for a while as she wonders where to start. She then reaches into her pocket for her phone and scrolls her gallery until she stops at one particular photo. She can't help but let a smile out when she sees a picture of two girls with identically colored red hair smiling brightly at the camera, with baseball mitts on their right hands. She silently hands over her phone to Kazuya.

Kazuya accepts the device from her and smiles when he sees the picture, "Cute," he takes a closer look and asks, "Is that you… on the left?"

"Yeah. It was when I was around nine years old or something," Yukari confirms, silently glad that Kazuya manages to tell which one was her.

"Who's the other girl? She looks a lot like you…"

"…Ichikawa Kaori, my two-year older sister," Yukari says, "We were really close. I remember following her everywhere she went. We never fought seriously, and we talked about anything and everything," she sighs, "We were each other's best friend."

"Seems nice," Kazuya says as he returns her phone, "I'm an only child, so I wouldn't know how that feels."

"It was nice," Yukari says as she pockets her phone, "Having someone who will always be on your side come high or hell water makes you feel safe."

"You guys play?" Kazuya asks referring to the baseball mitts they wore in the picture.

"Yeah. Being children of a pro player and a former high school baseball manager, it was hard to take baseball out of our lives. We had always loved watching baseball games, until eventually we decided to start playing. In my first team, I started off as a catcher, and I fell in love with it," Yukari smiles as she reminisces, "At first I wanted to do it because Otou-san was a catcher. But eventually I realized how fun it is. Calling bold plays, seeing the confusion on the batters' faces… you understand that, right?"

Kazuya laughs, "Definitely. That's why I won't hand over such a fun position to anyone. What about your sister?"

"She started off as an outfielder. But when she threw a really good fastball from the left field to me, I knew she had to start thinking about becoming a pitcher. When I talked her into it, she agreed to try. She started pitching in the next game, and the coach eventually made her the ace of our little team."

"Heeh," Kazuya smiles when he sees the nostalgic smile on Yukari's face, "How good was your team?"

Yukari smirks, "Our battery was pretty famous, dare I say so myself. Mostly it was thanks to Kaori-nee's fastball and her breaking balls."

Kazuya looks excited, "Whoa, how good of a pitcher is she?"

Yukari smiles, "Considering her age, she was _really_ good. I'm sure she could've given Narumiya-kun a run for his money. Imagine someone with Sawamura's form throwing Furuya's fastball on a great day."

"…no way," Kazuya says with an excited grin.

Yukari grins, "But she wasn't as strong hearted as Sawamura, and she had better physical strength than Furuya."

"What else could she pitch?"

"She threw a decent changeup, and her sinker was pretty good, but her cutter broke so much, it was seriously troublesome to catch. But what made her pretty famous was her shootball. Actually, she was the one who taught Shunpei that pitch. Who would've thought it would be one of _his_ signature pitches."

"You've been talking about her in past tense… has she stopped playing or something?" Kazuya asks.

Yukari bites her lower lip as she pulls her legs closer to her body and hugs them, "That's one way to put it, I guess."

Kazuya frowns, "What do you mean?"

"…four years ago today, my older sister died on the mound in front of my eyes. She was turning fourteen," She can see Kazuya flinching from the corner of her eyes, but he doesn't say anything, so she continues, "One second she was just throwing me the best fastball I've ever caught ever in my life, the next second…" she sighs and shrugs, "She just… fell. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, they said."

"…sorry," Kazuya says.

Yukari shakes her head, "It's okay. You didn't know," she sighs and continues, "I remember that I could only watch as people started to surround her on the mound. Shunpei even had to drag me to the ambulance that took Kaori-nee to the hospital; I was so out of it. Everyone was crying; even Shunpei. But I don't remember crying over her that day. A couple of days after that, though…" Yukari shrugs.

"She had always wanted to go to Koshien with the team, even though we were girls. Considering our skills, it didn't seem like just another pipe dream. The fact that the very dream she chased killed her… I just couldn't accept it," Yukari explains, "I know now that it was foolish; baseball didn't kill my sister, a heart attack did, but I needed something concrete to blame. So I stopped playing and avoided anything that has anything to do with baseball; even my parents. I even think I was half to blame for my father's early retirement."

"How so?" Kazuya asks.

"He told me he decided to retire because of Kaori-nee's death… but I suspect that half of it was because he was desperate to get me to talk to him again. We were really close. He was the one who taught me and Kaori-nee all about baseball, and he's my idol. He's my favorite catcher in the world. I've always wanted to be as good as him. I think that's why he took me avoiding him really hard," Yukari shrugs, "or maybe I'm just being full of myself. Our relationship is better now, though; better than before, in fact.

"And then one day, my mom called up Rei-san and told her to take me to a baseball game. 'Yukari can help you scout,' was her reasoning. I didn't want to go, but when I saw the look on my mom's face… I couldn't bring myself to refuse. She looked so desperate. Maybe she thought that re-familiarizing myself with baseball would bring some kind of closure, but I didn't think so. Now I know that she was right. So I went to the game, and guess which game was it?" Yukari asks with a small smile.

Kazuya frowns as he thinks. He shakes his head when he comes up blank. Yukari chuckles, "It was the game between Edogawa Senior League and Marugame Senior League."

Kazuya's eyes widen, "No way… that match when we first met?" Yukari nods, "But… why me? Why not Chris-senpai? I mean, he _did_ win the game."

"At first I wasn't paying attention because I really didn't want to be there. But… when I saw you pull off a double play, I just couldn't stop watching. You were so interesting to me, because I never knew any catcher who made the _same exact calls_ I would've made. My parents said it, didn't they? Your play reminds them of mine. Even now, when you're playing, I could guess most of your calls."

"Yeah… Sanada mentioned that too," Kazuya smirks, "He also told me he thinks you're kind of a narcissist."

Yukari shrugs, "I guess he's not all wrong," she then sighs, "Yes, Chris-senpai was amazing, but it was you who captured my attention. _You're_ the one who reminded me of how fun baseball is. _You're_ the reason why I picked up my mitt again. You brought baseball back to my life, and slowly but surely, I grew to accept my sister's death. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have mended my relationship with my parents. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be here, in Seidou."

Kazuya rubs the back of his head with a small blush on his cheeks, "…I'm not that special."

"…you are to me," Yukari says under her breath as her cheeks redden, avoiding eye contact, "I don't want anyone else but you, Kazuya."

"…damn it," Yukari hears before Kazuya tilts her head to face him by her chin. She closes her eyes when she feels his lips pressing against hers. She inhales sharply through her nose when he pushes her to the ground, and then she wraps her arms around his neck.

This kiss is different from their usual kiss. Yukari is sure that Kazuya has never kissed her so fervently. She flinches when something prods at her lips, but opens her mouth nonetheless to welcome Kazuya's tongue as she runs a hand through his soft brown locks. She doesn't know where he learned to do it, but she could care less.

When they pull away, Yukari pants to catch her breath, "…what was that?" she asks breathily.

Kazuya leans down to bump his forehead onto hers, "I never told you this, but… I think I was already half in love with you after we first met."

Yukari blushes as she keeps panting, "…what…?"

"I remember this red-haired girl with beautiful green eyes, but they were so dull… but when I said that baseball is fun because there's always someone better than me, I can see a spark in her eyes. I've always wanted to see her again. Half of the reason why I rejected Mei's offer to go to Inajitsu was so that I can see her again in Seidou. And lo and behold…" Kazuya pulls away a bit and brushes the red locks that threaten to cover his favorite green eyes. He smiles softly, "…she's mine now."

Yukari averts her eyes from Kazuya with a bright blush on her face, "…shut up…"

Kazuya grins as he pulls away from Yukari. He pulls her hand to help her sit. As he waits for her to calm her breathing down, he asks, "So is that why you ran off during practice the day Sawamura first came here? Because he reminded you of your sister?"

"…yeah. His form was just really similar to hers. I guess I wasn't prepared to be assaulted by the ghost of my past."

"The first time you caught Furuya's pitch, you also tried to run away."

Yukari shrugs, "Like I said, right before she died… Kaori-nee threw the best fastball I've ever caught from her. The sound and the feeling of it when the ball hit my mitt… I heard and felt something similar when I caught for Furuya."

"…but you're fine with it now?"

Yukari sighs as she tries to catch her breath. She knows that she's saying the truth when she says with a small smile, "Yeah. I already know and understand that Sawamura and Furuya are different from my sister," she smirks, "Kaori-nee was definitely _so_ much easier to handle than those two."

Kazuya laughs, and when he stops, he heaves a small sigh and smiles, "I would've loved to meet her."

Yukari smiles as she can feel tears – happy ones – building up in her eyes, "I'm sure she would've loved to meet you too."

Kazuya stands up and holds a hand out to Yukari, "Let's get back. It's late."

Yukari nods as she rubs the tears out of her eyes. She gives a small smile to Kazuya as she takes his outstretched hand. She doesn't protest when he tangles their fingers together. They walk silently back to the dorms hand in hand. Unlike any other day, Kazuya walks Yukari to her room, and she can't be more grateful. Having talked about something so personal and emotional, she really doesn't want to be alone until she absolutely has to. She loves that he understands that.

When they arrive at the front of her dorm room, Yukari bites her lower lip as she squeezes Kazuya's hand.

"Thanks for telling me, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he squeezes her hand back.

Yukari smiles softly at him, "Thanks for listening, Kazuya."

"Are we… okay?" Kazuya asks tentatively.

Yukari sighs, "Is it not obvious enough?" she smirks, "I don't regret saying yes to you that day, Kazuya. You're lucky I like you so much; otherwise I would've broken up with you a long time ago."

Kazuya grins cheekily, "Yeah, I know, I love you too, Yuka-chan."

They laugh together, and when their laughter dies out, they go silent for a while as Kazuya eyes Yukari. Without a word, he pulls her into his arms. She buries her face in his broad chest as she hugs him back gratefully. When he feels that he can leave her alone, he says, "Good night, Yuka-chan," before pulling away. Yukari nods, a small smile on her face, telling him that she's fine now.

"Good night, Kazuya."


	18. Chapter 18

**Because I'm leaving town for a whole day next Saturday, I can't post the next chapter on that day. I WILL, though, post a double-chapter on Sunday.**

 **Edit: Change of plans. Trip got cancelled, so I'll post the next chapter on Saturday, as scheduled.**

* * *

With their win against Yakushi, Seidou High School has reached the Top 4 as the representative from Block A and will be entering the semi-finals. Block B is represented by Sensen Academy, Block C by Inajitsu, and Block D by Sakurazawa High School, the only public school of the four. Seidou will be facing Sensen and Inajitsu will be facing Sakurazawa. The winners will then face each other in the finals.

From what Chris told her during breakfast, on their match against Sensen, the head coach was going with Tanba as their starting pitcher. Yukari finds it interesting since both Tanba and Sensen's ace, Maki Yousuke, are tall and have curveballs as their best pitch. Sawamura and Kawakami will be his reliever, while Furuya is being told to rest; much to his disappointment.

After breakfast, unusually, instead of being told to go straight to the field, Yukari is called by the coach to the viewer's box. She knocks on the door.

"It's Ichikawa," Yukari says.

"Come in."

Yukari opens the door and is greeted by Kataoka, Rei, and Oota. She enters the room and closes the door behind her.

"Did you have a good time with your parents?" Rei asks.

"Yes. We had dinner together before I returned to the dorms," Yukari said.

"What time did you return last night?" Rei asks.

"Around half past nine. I had to force Okaa-san to let me return to the dorms; I can't return home until the tournament's over," Yukari says.

"Ichikawa," Kataoka calls out, "There is something I need you to do."

Yukari frowns at the unusual seriousness, "…yes?" she frowns even deeper when Kataoka smirks at her.

xXx

In Field B, the second string players are putting some finishing touches on the mound. Since early this morning, they have been piling up some dirt to lift the mound to simulate Maki's almost two meters tall height. According to Kataoka, the second string players came to him with that idea. When she heard about this, Yukari actually likes the idea. They've never played in a scrimmage against Sensen before, so the batters wouldn't know how to hit a ball that comes from a very high angle. This would be a great practice for the batters.

Kataoka walks into the raised mound and suddenly throws the ball that's in his hand to the plate.

 _SLAM!_

The tell-tale sound of a ball hitting a catcher's mitt draws everyone's attention towards the head coach.

"So who's up first?" Kataoka asks with a challenging smirk.

"Wait! You're pitching, Kantoku?!" Youichi exclaims.

"I can't let Tanba pitch now, can I?" Kataoka asks.

"Seriously?!"

The first string players frown. Youichi studies the catcher who caught Kataoka's pitch and asks, "Who's that chibi?"

Jun frowns as he eyes the catcher, "…I'm not sure. A second string player? But I don't think I've ever seen someone that short in the team."

"Who are you calling short?" The catcher stands up and lifts the face guard and looks at the team, pointedly glaring at Youichi and Jun, "Hurry up and get ready."

Everyone's eyes widen when they finally notice the familiar red hair flowing down from the catcher's helmet to her shoulder, "I-Ichikawa?!"

Yukari smirks at the coach, "It's been a while since I've played, so I'm sorry in advance if I'm a little bit rusty, Kantoku."

Kataoka smirks back at her, "Don't worry about it. You've been calling pitches during matches, right? You'll do fine."

Yukari shrugs, "Well, if you're sure… I'll try not to tarnish Otou-san's name."

Kataoka smirks, "That's more like it."

"Looks like fun," Ryousuke says, "It's not every day you get to hit Kantoku's pitch."

Yukari replaces her mask with a smirk. She crouches behind home plate and the first batter stands in the batter's box. She eyes the batter and smirks when she sees Tetsu. She shakes her head in amusement when she can feel his aura emerge. _He's serious…_

"I can seriously hit your pitch, right, sir?" Tetsu asks.

Kataoka smirks at him, "If you actually can."

Yukari turns to look at the coach. She spreads her arms wide and slams her left fist into her catcher's mitt. _Come at me strong. I will definitely catch it!_

Each member of the first string has to be able to hit ten pitches before another batter replaces them. They do this in two successions. During this session, Yukari calls for a variety of fastballs and breaking balls, focusing on the normal fastball and Maki's signature, the curveball, so that everyone can get used to hitting the ball coming from a higher angle.

During Haruichi's turn, before he hits, the head coach asks him a question, "What do you think about when you're at-bat?"

"Eh…?" Haruichi stops and thinks. He shyly answers, "…just hitting the ball back, I guess?"

Yukari and Kataoka smirk. _I'm kinda jealous. That's the hardest thing to do in a game, but he says it so easily. I don't even think he knows just how hard it is_ , "Keep that in mind," the head coach says before he pitches.

After everyone gets their second turn, Kataoka yells, "Second string, get ready for defense!"

Yukari smirks. _This is going to be interesting_. She watches as the second string players take their places in their respective bases, with one of them standing behind Yukari as the umpire. The first string players start to look excited as they understand what is happening.

"Listen up!" Kataoka yells, "This is a match simulation. We'll go with the usual batting lineup. When you get a hit, run to bases like usual. After three outs, all runners are to get off the base and we'll continue with the lineup. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

The first batter up is Youichi. Yukari smirks when he, as per usual, bunts and starts to run.

"Hyahaha! Finally got it on the first pitch!" Youichi says. But then his eyes widen when, from the corner of his eyes, he sees Yukari tenaciously chasing the ball down. He grits his teeth when he sees her dashing towards him and then she taps him out old-fashioned style. She smirks at him when the umpire calls 'Out!'

"You don't really think you're the only one with fast legs do you, Youichi-kun?"

"Ichikawa, teme…"

"S-So fast… she's just as fast as Kuramochi…"

"I didn't know Ichikawa could do that…"

"I know. I've only seen her catch in the bullpen once…"

Next batter is Ryousuke. Her pseudo-older brother smirks at her and takes his position in the box. She replies him with a smirk of her own. She does know that Ryousuke is a great batter, but she's not one to back down from a challenge. There's _no way_ she's walking _anyone_ to the first base; not unless she absolutely has to. She signals the coach for the next pitch, and Kataoka nods and pitches. As expected, Ryousuke manages to hit it.

"Left!" Yukari shouts as she pulls her mask off. Unfortunately, Ryousuke manages to reach first base before left field can catch the ball. She puts her mask back on and crouches again as Kataoka receives the ball from the left fielder. Jun approaches the plate.

Yukari frowns as she finds herself heaving. Somehow, she keeps finding it hard to breathe with every play. Because she's been trying so hard to get some air into her lungs, she's starting to feel quite lightheaded. She tries to pace her breathing as she signals towards Kataoka. Jun ignores the first two pitches and Yukari signals for the last one.

When Kataoka pitches, Ryousuke runs. Kataoka's last pitch is a vertical curve that should be called a ball, but because Jun swung at it, it's a strike. Before the umpire can even call an out for Jun, Yukari immediately throws the ball towards second base, outing Ryousuke.

"Whoaaa, double play! Yukihime-senpai, you're so cool!"

"Nice double play, Aneki!"

All the runners on base leave the diamond, and Tetsu is up next. He manages to hit Kataoka's first pitch deep into center field and reaches first base. When Yukari throws back the ball towards Kataoka for the next pitch against Masuko, she frowns when she almost loses her balance out of dizziness.

"Are you okay, Ichikawa-chan?" Masuko asks.

"I'm fine, Masuko-san," Yukari answers easily. She can tell that he's still worried, but he nods and turns back to look at Kataoka. Masuko easily hits the second pitch towards right field, sending Tetsu towards second base and he manages to land in first base. She winces when she can feel pain from her chest. She can feel her heart beating harshly, like it's trying to beat out of her chest.

The next at-bat is her boyfriend. They smirk at each other, but Yukari can see his smugness turn into worry when he realizes just how fast she's breathing.

"Yuka-chan, you okay?"

"I'm fine," Yukari replies, almost too quickly. She calls for the pitches and catches two of them in a strike. On the last pitch, Kazuya misses it and she catches the ball. She immediately throws it towards second base and outs Masuko, "Third!" she yells.

Her eyes widen when her heart gives a mighty thump as her surroundings start to go blurry. She can feel herself falling. The last thing she remembers is Kazuya's worried face when she finally hits the ground. She can faintly hear his voice calling her name.

"Yukari? Yukari!"

xXx

When she comes to, Yukari's body feels lighter. She can tell that she has been stripped of her gear. She squints when she feels unfamiliar light attacking her eyes. She looks around her and sees white walls. Her nose is invaded by constant blowing of air, but she can still smell the smell of medicine through it. She must be in a hospital.

"Yukari!"

She turns her head towards the source of her voice and finds her parents, "Okaa-san… Otou-san…"

"How do you feel?" Kawanomu asks.

Yukari takes her time to answer that question. Finally, she says, "I'm fine."

"You passed out in the middle of baseball practice. Do you remember?" Yayoi asks.

Yukari nods. Yayoi and Kawanomu eye each other until Yayoi asks, "Yukari, how long has this been going on?"

Yukari bites her lower lip and says, "I passed out the night before the match against Yakushi…"

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Kawanomu asks, "This could be serious, Yukari."

"I know, I forgot…" Yukari admits. How could she remember? With Shunpei coming back into her life and almost jeopardizing her relationship with Kazuya, and then having to tell Kazuya something very deep about her past… there's no way she could remember. But she wishes she remembered, though, just to erase the worry out of her parents' face.

"Yukari, I'm worried… Will you listen to what I have to say?" Yayoi asks. Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it in a sigh.

"Yeah, sure."

"I want you to get your heart screened," Yukari bites her lower lip at Yayoi's words, "The doctor said that you can get it screened later, since it will take the whole day, but I prefer if you do it now. I don't want to take any chances."

"But we have a match… what's the date?"

"July 29th. You passed out for almost a whole day," Yayoi answers.

Yukari eyes the clock on the wall, "We have a match later at 9."

"Tesshin specifically told us to let you rest for this match and return for the finals," Kawanomu says.

"But, I can't leave them… what if they get injured? We have no other trainer…"

"Yukari, please!" Yayoi begs. Yukari's eyes widen at her tone, "For once, please think about yourself first above others!" her mother chokes on a sob and says, "You've been such a great girl, Yukari. You always put others before you. But think about this," her mother looks straight into Yukari's eyes, "If you're unwell, you won't be able to take care of those boys anymore. We don't want to put them through what _we_ went through, do we?"

Yukari flinches at her words. She shudders at the thought of dying like her sister; sudden, with no signs or warnings whatsoever. She doesn't want to break her parents' hearts twice over. She wouldn't want to wish the same kind of hurt she went through after her sister's death to her worst enemy, let alone her pseudo-brothers, friends, and boyfriend in the baseball team.

 _I'm sorry, guys…_

Yukari takes a deep breath, and ultimately nods, "…I understand. I'll do it."

xXx

After participating in a myriad of tests, it is 4 PM. Yukari is sure that not only Seidou's but also Inajitsu's matches must have come to an end. She knows that she's not supposed to, but she takes her phone from the bedside table and texts Kazuya.

07/29 16:04

Miyuki Kazuya

How were the matches?

She doesn't have to wait long to receive a reply.

 _07/29 16:05_

 _Miyuki Kazuya_

 _We won. We're up against Inajitsu in two days._

 _Sakurazawa was interesting. You'd have fun watching the video._

 _It wasn't the same without you. Everyone thinks so too._

 _You okay? Can I come visit you?_

 _Inajitsu again, huh…?_ Yukari remembers the semifinal last year where they lost to Inajitsu. She remembers seeing the anguish on the faces of the previous third year players. She doesn't want to see the same thing on her favorite upperclassmen. Anyone but them. She sighs and replies Kazuya's text.

07/29 16:06

Miyuki Kazuya

I'm fine. I'll be there for the finals.

Don't come. Get some rest.

The replies come to a pause until her phone beeps again.

 _07/29 16:26_

 _Miyuki Kazuya_

 _Saw Mei and the other Inajitsu players after their game._

 _Told me I'll forever regret choosing Seidou over them._

 _I think you know that I don't regret it one bit._

Yukari doesn't know how to reply to that. She knows that Narumiya and Kazuya were part of the same senior league, and that Narumiya asked Kazuya to go to Inajitsu with him after graduation. Apparently Narumiya wanted to form the 'ultimate team' and that included Kazuya. But Kazuya rejected his offer and entered Seidou instead. Perhaps Narumiya is still bitter over that.

Her phone beeps once again, and Yukari blushes at the content of the message.

 _07/29 16:27_

 _Miyuki Kazuya_

 _You're part of the reason why I'm in Seidou, Yuka-chan. I owe you._

Yukari smiles softly at her phone. _We're even, Kazuya… because you returned my love for baseball to me_ , Yukari thinks as she is reminded of the first time she met Kazuya four years ago.

Why am I here? _Yukari wonders as she stands outside of the fence of a baseball park beside Rei, watching as Edogawa Senior League and Marugame Senior League prepare for a match. She sees a tall blond man that she sometimes sees in the TV being surrounded by junior high school students. His name is J. Animal M., if she's not mistaken._

" _Animal's son is playing catcher," Rei explains to her, "Animal is an ex-pro player, and his son is showing promise."_

"… _heeh…" Yukari says with no interest whatsoever. She can feel Rei's eyes on her, looking at her with worry, but she gives her no care. She doesn't want to be there. She'd rather be doing anything else but watching the sport that killed her sister four months ago._

 _Not long after, the match starts. Yukari initially doesn't care. Until she – somehow – looks up just in time to see the catcher for Edogawa striking the batter out and throwing the ball towards the second baseman, creating a double play. She watches the catcher – who is a little bit on the short side – as he lifts up his face guard and gives his teammates a sign for two outs, "Two outs! Let's stay focused!" he says._

" _He's got great shoulders," Yukari says without really thinking. Rei smirks as the game finally got Yukari's attention, "He's an interesting one, that catcher," Yukari says._

 _Rei asks, "How so?"_

" _Because he plays like I would," Rei looks at Yukari, who has a small smirk on her face, "A double play would lower the opponent's chance to score, and it would also give the team a confidence boost," Yukari explains, "It's aggressive, but if I have confidence in not only my skills, but also my teammates', it's doable."_

 _Yukari finally gives her full attention towards the game, and watches as Edogawa's catcher enters the batter's box, with Animal's son catching. She doesn't have enough data on the players, so she doesn't know what pitches the pitcher could pitch. She watches as the batting catcher looks bewildered as the ball curves slowly as it arrives in front of him._

" _You weren't kidding about Animal's son showing promise, Rei-san," Yukari says, "He's good. He knows how the batters think, so he can call pitches the batters will never see coming. But Edogawa's catcher is also really good. He tries to read the catcher when he's at bat."_

 _She watches as the two catchers talk before the change, and Animal's son hands the ball over to the shorter catcher. The game continues, and Edogawa's catcher calls for a low outside pitch, which is hit above the fence by the Marugame catcher._

" _Oh, he's a great batter, too," Yukari comments, "But… Edogawa's catcher's getting cocky," Yukari says, "I don't think he's used to being outsmarted."_

" _You're right," Rei says._

" _It feels like the match is focused on the catchers," Yukari says._

 _The game continues. Edogawa's catcher pops a pitch that flies above their heads towards the backstop, and Yukari's eyes widen as she watches Marugame's catcher chasing after the ball. He manages to catch it, just barely, right at the backstop._

"… _he definitely doesn't care if he gets injured or not, that's for sure,"_ Just like me _, Yukari thinks._

 _The game ends with Edogawa's loss with the score 0-7._

" _What do you think, Yukari-chan?" Rei asks._

"… _those two catchers. They would be invaluable players for Seidou," Yukari says, "Especially Marugame's catcher. He crushed the pitcher with his batting skills, made the best of the pitchers with his plays, and he has a sharp sense for reading the momentum of the game. He just needs to care a little bit more about his body."_

But to be honest, the one who really caught my attention was Edogawa's catcher… I've never seen someone who plays like I do… He even calls for pitches I would call, _Yukari thinks._

" _Okay… but I meant was what you think about baseball, Yukari-chan. You seemed to be having fun watching that game."_

 _Yukari's eyes widen, because Rei is_ right _. She_ did _have fun, especially after that small catcher managed to pull off that double play. She doesn't often see a catcher who would call such risky and aggressive moves like_ she _would. She watches from up the stairs looking down at the bench where she sees Edogawa's catcher sitting there._

 _All of a sudden, the catcher laughs loudly. Yukari jumps a little bit in shock at his laughter._ He's laughing after his team lost completely? …why? _Yukari wonders._

" _Come on, Yukari-chan," Rei says. Yukari nods at her as she follows Rei. They walk until they're standing beside the catcher sitting on the bench, "A catcher-to-catcher battle of reading each other's minds. I never thought I'd get to see such a high level game at a senior league level. Right, Yukari-chan?"_

 _Yukari nods at Rei's words, "What really decided the game today was the difference in teammates," she comments. The catcher eyes the two of them warily._

" _You have high ideals and a drive to improve. Have you ever wanted to be surrounded by teammates like that?" Rei asks, "You should play baseball at a much higher level."_

" _Wait! Who are you, nee-san?" the catcher asks as he points at Rei. Yukari scoffs out a laugh._

" _Y-Yukari! Don't laugh!"_

" _Sorry Rei-san… it's just that not a lot of people can take you off guard like that…" Yukari says as she tries to school her expression._

" _I'm a soon-to-be associate manager for the Seidou High School baseball team, Takashima Rei!" Rei introduces herself, "This is… my partner, Ichikawa Yukari-chan."_

" _Eh? She looks my age and she's already working for Seidou High School?" the catcher asks._

" _I'm not her partner. I was just watching," Yukari says._

 _Rei clears her throat, "To be direct with you, I came here to scout you for our team."_

" _You're scouting me?" the catcher grins, "I think you're rushing it a bit. I'm only a first year."_

 _Rei's eyes widen, "You're only a first year?!"_

" _So we're the same age…" Yukari says, "Interesting…"_

" _No wonder you're so short!" Rei says. She then pulls him to stand beside Yukari, "Look! You're even shorter than Yukari-chan!"_

" _Nee-san, are you really a scout?" the catcher asks, looking a little bit annoyed at Rei's jab on his height. Yukari shakes her head as she tries to keep her laughter in._

" _You have a very special gift, you know," Rei says._

" _Huh?"_

" _You managed to reignite the love for baseball within someone with your play."_

 _Yukari flinches at Rei's words. She thinks that the catcher knows who she's talking about. She then remembers what she saw earlier. She decides to ask, "…why were you laughing after your team lost?"_

" _Huh? Because there are always going to be better players than me! That's why baseball is fun!" the catcher says with a wide grin. Yukari's eyes widen at his answer, "Ah, I knew it!"_

" _W-What…?"_

" _When your eyes shine like that, they're pretty!" he then smirks at her blushing face, "Get ready, because I'm gonna remind you just how fun baseball is so those eyes don't stop shining!"_

Yukari remembers that day like it was yesterday. That short catcher – who grows to be taller than her – managed to bring back what she lost, and gives her more than she asked for.

 _Baseball is fun… isn't it, Kazuya?_ Yukari thinks before typing down her reply.

07/29 16:30

Miyuki Kazuya

We're even.

Thank you, Kazuya.

I'm glad you're in Seidou.

Kazuya replies to that message faster than his previous ones.

 _07/29 16:30_

 _Miyuki Kazuya_

 _Thank you, Yuka-chan._

 _I love you._

 _See you soon_

Yukari blushes at the declaration of love. She suppresses the sudden urge to see Kazuya, or at least hear his voice. She takes a deep breath and replies.

07/29 16:31

Miyuki Kazuya

Love you too.

See you.

xXx

After much convincing, Yukari's doctor discharges her after he announces the test results in the late afternoon the next day. Her parents drive her to the dorms, and insist on walking her to her room. Yukari relents. Her first destination once she arrives back at the dorm is the coach's room. Around the time they arrive, it's already dark, and she can hear a commotion in the cafeteria. Everyone should be eating dinner right now, which is good; she doesn't want an audience.

Once they arrive in front of the door, Yukari knocks three times and waits until she hears someone letting her in. Not long after, she hears Kataoka's voice telling her to come in. She enters the room and bows at the room's occupants, Kataoka and Rei, "Excuse us."

"Yukari-chan! And Yayoi-chan and Kawanomu-kun!" Rei exclaims.

"How do you feel, Ichikawa?" Kataoka asks.

"I'm feeling better," Yukari says. She then eyes her parents, and they nod at her, "Actually, I have something very important to tell you. I can't have anyone else knowing about this unless I want them to."

Kataoka and Rei eye them, and Rei sits down on the couch in front of the head coach, "Sit here, Yukari-chan."

Yukari obliges and takes a deep breath before opening her mouth, "I got screened for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy yesterday, and the doctor said I have it."

Kataoka and Rei's eyes widen.

"Isn't that… the same one as Kaori-chan…?" Rei carefully asks.

Yukari nods, "Yes. The doctor told me to ease up on any strenuous and stressful activities."

"…are you here to tell me you're going to quit?" Kataoka asks. Yukari's parents eye their daughter. Kawanomu had suggested quitting the baseball team to Yukari, but she hasn't given them an answer.

"No," Yukari answers, "I'm here to ask you _not_ to let me off the team. I still want to stay in the dugout with them. The doctor said that that's fine. If I quit, everyone will know that something's up, and I don't want them to know," she turns to look at her parents, "I promise I won't push myself," she turns back to look at Kataoka and bows her head, "…please keep me on the team.

The coach's room is washed in silence until Yayoi sighs, "I knew you'd say that, Yukari," she says. Yukari lifts her head, "So stubborn… just like Kaori."

"And you," Kawanomu says as he nudges his wife. Yukari smiles at her parents.

"…very well. Just don't push yourself. This is your life on the line, Ichikawa," Kataoka says, "And I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention to your condition before I asked you to catch in the simulation."

Yukari shakes her head, "There's nothing to apologize for, Kantoku. If there's anyone who needs to apologize, it's me. I should've told someone I haven't been feeling well. I guess I don't make a very good trainer."

"Don't say that. As the team's trainer, you've been doing a great job," Rei says. Yukari smiles gratefully at her.

"Tesshin. Takashima. I'm leaving her to you," Kawanomu says.

"Please take care of her," Yayoi says.

"I understand. Leave her to us," Kataoka says.

"…have you thought about telling Miyuki-kun, Yukari-chan?" Rei asks.

Yukari bites her lower lip. Even though Kazuya is her boyfriend, she knows that both of them have things they'd like to keep to themselves at least for a little while, "…not yet. Maybe one day, but not in the near future," Yukari stands up from her seat, "For now, please keep this a secret and tell people that I passed out because of fatigue and emotional stress. I hope that will ward them off for a while."

"Okay. Why don't you go and get some rest, Yukari-chan?" Rei suggests, "The team is going to need you tomorrow."

"I think that would be the best," Kawanomu says as the Ichikawa family approaches the door, "Excuse us," he says as they leave the room. Yukari walks her parents back to their car as they remind her to take her medicine. After she can no longer see their car, she decides to show her face to the cafeteria.

When she arrives, everyone is so focused on eating that they don't realize she's there. She smirks as she walks towards the counter and says, "Any food for me left?"

"Of course there's still some, Yukari-chan!" The cafeteria auntie says almost automatically, but then her eyes widen in realization. She turns around, and Yukari smiles softly in greeting, "Yukari-chan! You're back!"

"I'm back," Yukari says with a small nod. As the players realize that their resident trainer is back, they start to crowd around her.

"Ichikawa-senpai, you're back…" Furuya says with his eyes wide.

"Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura shouts.

"Aneki…" Haruichi says, looking like he's about to burst into tears.

"Ichikawa-chan!" Masuko calls out as he _actually_ bursts into tears. When she sees his new hair – or lack thereof –, Yukari can't help but laugh.

"Masuko-san, nice haircut," Yukari says with a smirk, "Apparently you're a trendsetter, Tanba-san," she says to Tanba. The third year pitcher pinches her cheek lightly.

"Shut up."

"Ichikawa-teme, you have a nerve to worry us like that!" Jun says as he stomps towards Yukari. She instinctively hides behind Tanba.

"Welcome back, Ichikawa," Tetsu says.

"Thank you, Tetsu-san. It's good to be back."

"So what's wrong?" Chris asks.

"Apparently it was only accumulated fatigue and emotional stress. That's why I didn't stay very long," Yukari lies through her teeth smoothly, "The doctor told me not to push myself too hard and to cease some activities for a while. But he and Kantoku gave me the okay to stay in the dugout," she says. She then puts a hand on Haruichi's head, "Haru-kun, don't cry."

"I-I'm not…"

"He's been worried sick about you," Ryousuke says as he chops Haruichi's head.

Yukari sighs as she pulls her hand away from Haruichi's head. She then bows towards everyone, "I'm really sorry for worrying all of you," she straightens back up and says, "But as you can see, I'm back now, and I'm fine. I just need to take it easy for a while. Don't make such a fuss about it."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Keep it down, geez… it's nighttime already," Yukari says, "By the way, what happened after I passed out?"

"Boss told us to continue practice while Oota-buchou and Takashima-sensei took you to the hospital," Sawamura explains.

"That's not what I meant," Yukari says, "The simulation. Did we manage to out Tetsu-san?"

Youichi rolls his eyes, "We just got off a real match and you're asking about practice?"

"You guys won the match, right? If you didn't, the third years would've gone home already," Yukari says, "Besides, Kantoku promised me that I can return during the finals, and he's not one to break a promise," she turns back her attention to the third years, "So? Did we get Tetsu-san out?"

"As usual, you're such an overachiever, Yukari," Ryousuke says with a smirk.

"I'm sorry, but Tetsu was faster than that damn ball!" Jun says with a smirk, which is mirrored by Tetsu.

Yukari clicks her tongue, "Damn it, failed again, huh…"

"Huh? What did you fail in?" Youichi asks.

"Ah, the second and first years might not know this," Chris says, "When we were in our first year, Ichikawa used to catch for the team during match simulations."

"Oh, really?" Kazuya asks.

"Then why did you stop?" Kenjirou asks. The players surrounding Yukari then shudders at the sudden temperature change when the ice princess starts exuding her cold aura.

"The principal and vice-principal said that they didn't think I did my work as a manager. They demanded to see my work results, or else they would revoke my position in the team _and_ my enrollment to the school," Yukari explains in a cold tone, "So I focused on gathering data on other schools' teams as much as possible. Not to mention I was also busy with graduation exams. I also had to study for the entrance exam just in case those old farts weren't satisfied with my work."

"A-Aneki… really hates the principal and vice-principal, doesn't she…?" Haruichi comments.

Ryousuke chuckles, "You have no idea."

"Anyway…" Chris clears his throat, "During those match simulations we noticed that she always aimed to execute a double play. When we asked her why, she said it was because she wanted to do a triple play."

"Is that even possible?" Nori asks.

"Of course it is," Yukari says, "I did it when I was in junior high. There's nothing that tells me that I can't do it now."

"What?!" Kazuya's eyes are wide, "How come I never heard about this?! This is huge, Yuka-chan!"

"How did you even do that, Yukihime-senpai?!" Sawamura asks.

"It was pure luck, really. A failed hit and run with runners on first and third. Luckily, while the ball flew forward, it went straight to the second baseman," Yukari holds out a finger, "Runner from first is out, and then second baseman threw it to first," she holds out another finger, "Runner from home is out, and then to me," she holds out a third finger, "I chased and tapped the runner from third. And there you have it, a 4-3-2 triple play. It's all thanks to the first and second basemen's reflex and throwing skills, really."

"A-Amazing…" Furuya says.

"And all this happened when you were in _junior high_?!" Youichi exclaims.

"Like I said, it was pure luck. If the ball wasn't hit towards the second baseman, it wouldn't have happened," Yukari says with a shrug, "But that feeling really was unforgettable. It was addicting. I wanted to recreate it, but it's not as easy as I'd hoped," she then sighs. _I think my luck ran out because of that triple play, though. After that game… the worst thing happened_ , she thinks as she remembers the game after that; the last game she has ever played with her sister.

Yukari takes a deep breath and looks up at the team, "Chris-senpai, can I borrow your notes from yesterday's games?" Chris nods and hands his notebook over to her, "Tomorrow is the final match, right? Get plenty of rest…" she smirks at them, "So we can go to Koshien."

The players smirk back at her, "Yes, ma'am!"

Yukari then takes her tray from the cafeteria auntie and smirks when she realizes that she has considerably more food on her tray than she usually had. She sighs in resignation and brings it to an empty table, and starts eating while reading Chris' notes from Seidou's match against Sensen and Inajitsu's match against Sakurazawa.

* * *

 **I'll have you know that I'm a perfectionist. I hate it when something in my fic doesn't fit with how it's supposed to be in real life. Now, I'm not a doctor, nor am I well-versed in medicine, so everything I know about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is based on my extensive research I did with the help of Wikipedia, Google, and a forum of HCM patients. So if any of you ARE well-versed in medicine, or know someone who has the same condition, and sees some kind of anomaly in this chapter and the future ones, please do inform me!**


	19. Chapter 19

It's less than a day after being discharged from the hospital and Yukari has already broken one of her promises to her doctor. The doctor told her to get plenty of rest and sleep properly, but at around 1 AM, she only had just finished watching the Inajitsu vs. Sakurazawa video. She was fixed on the Seidou vs. Sensen match video, especially on the part where Sawamura threw the crossfire for the first time.

 _Being the idiot that he is, he must've not realized he just threw a completely different pitch_ , Yukari thinks. She has never seen a form like that before. But with body as flexible as Sawamura's, she guesses it's nothing to be surprised about. She spent her time drawing the stick-figure of the form and the course of the ball, which was why she repeated that part the most. She manages to get some sleep and wakes up at 4:30 AM as she usually does, goes on a jog, and gets ready before everyone else.

"Good morning, Yukari," she hears as she's walking toward the cafeteria.

"Good morning. You're early, Ryou-nii," Yukari says.

"I couldn't really sleep," Ryousuke says as he falls into step with Yukari.

"Don't tell me you're nervous."

"What if I am?" Yukari's eyes widen at his statement, but she understands.

"…even you get nervous, huh," Yukari says.

"Yeah, well, this could be my last game in high school after all," Ryousuke says, "By the way, I think I saw the lights in the cafeteria still on at about 12 AM. Was it you?"

"Yeah, I lost track of time watching the videos," as they were walking, she notices that Ryousuke is walking with a slight limp. She frowns as she remembers watching him forcing his way into the home plate during fifth inning. It was almost an obstruction, and she's sure that he came out of it harmed, even though just a little. If he hurt his foot, it would be troubling for the team.

Yukari winces when she feels sharp pain on her skull, "Ow!"

"Are you still up in dreamland, Yukari? How dare you zone out on me after missing our game," Ryousuke says with a creepy smile on his face.

"Sorry, Ryou-nii…" Yukari says as she rubs the part Ryousuke chopped, "By the way… I saw your stunt at the home plate during fifth inning. Were you hurt?"

She notices Ryousuke pausing for a bit before he says, "I'm fine."

"Heeh… then why are you limping?" Yukari asks as she stops and looks straight at Ryousuke, "I don't think I've said this before, Ryou-nii, but one thing that I really like about you is your brutal honesty. Of all people, I didn't think _you_ would lie."

Ryousuke is silent under Yukari's eyes. He then chuckles, "…you got me," he says, and then he sighs heavily, "First Kuramochi, and now you… You second years are really annoying."

Yukari rolls her eyes at his words. She knows he doesn't mean it, "It's no wonder Youichi-kun knows. He's been your partner for almost two years. Not to mention he's annoyingly observant," Yukari says, "So which part hurts?"

"My left shin. I hit the catcher's leg guard with it," Ryousuke says, "It's just a little swollen."

"I'll be the judge to that," Yukari says as she drags Ryousuke into the cafeteria and sits him down. Ryousuke doesn't protest and lets Yukari do whatever she wants. She rolls up his pants leg and frowns at the slight blue tint on his shin, "Have you done anything to it?"

"Not really," Ryousuke says. Yukari sighs in exasperation. She resolutely walks toward the cafeteria auntie.

"Oba-san, good morning," Yukari greets.

"Good morning, Yukari-chan! Did you sleep well?" the cafeteria auntie asks.

"As well as I can," Yukari says, "Is there a dish towel I can use?"

"Okay, wait here," the cafeteria auntie says. In the meantime, Yukari takes a bowl from the pantry and fills it with ice. The cafeteria auntie returns with a clean dish towel, "Is this good?"

"Yes, thank you, Oba-san. I'll come and help out later," Yukari says as she takes the bowl from her.

"Don't worry about it!"

Yukari walks out of the pantry to find that Ryousuke hasn't moved from his position. She puts the bowl on the table and starts to wrap some ice with the dish towel, "Put this against the bluish part for 20 minutes. I'll bring our breakfast here."

"I can get it myself," Ryousuke says.

"Come on, humor me for now, Ryou-nii," Yukari says, "Besides, I don't treat you like this every day. Enjoy it while you can."

"You're such a worrywart," Ryousuke says, "I'll have plenty of adrenaline flowing in the game; you don't have to worry so much."

Yukari stops in her tracks. Without turning to look at Ryousuke, she says, "Will you promise me something, Ryou-nii?"

"Hmm? What?"

"If you can't handle it anymore, please tell me or Youichi-kun. Don't push yourself," Yukari says. She then looks at Ryousuke from above her shoulder, "And I hold the right to tell Kantoku if I think your performance will bring the team down."

Ryousuke smirks, "Don't worry. I told the same thing to Kuramochi yesterday. I'm gonna tell you this too," he smiles sincerely at Yukari, "If it comes from my favorite little sister, then I can't disagree."

Yukari gives him a small smile and continues her way to get their breakfast.

xXx

The Seidou High School baseball team arrives in Meiji Jingu Stadium to their supporters' cheers. It's only been three days since the last time Yukari entered a baseball stadium, but it feels like so long ago.

Yukari can't lie and say that she's not nervous. Even though she knows how strong Seidou is, she can't help but still feel nervous. She knows very well how strong Inajitsu is; they had a bitter taste of their strength last year, after all. _It's weird. I've seen them practice for this day even before the tournament even started. Then why am I so uneasy? Is it because I know Ryou-nii is injured?_

Before entering the dugout, Yukari lines up with Kataoka, Oota, and Chris and bows at Inajitsu's coach, Kunitomo Hiroshige, on the other side of the stadium. She then enters the dugout and puts down a cooler of ice filled with water bottles at the back of the dugout. She turns her head to left and right to get rid of the crick on her neck.

Yukari immediately takes a seat on the bench and exhales harshly. She lightly touches her chest as she remembers her doctor telling her family that she has the same heart condition that killed her older sister. When the doctor said that the disease was genetic, Yukari's parents apologized to her. Yukari only told them not to apologize for something they had no control over. The fact that both of their children have the same genetic heart disease is just sheer bad luck on their family. Yukari just has to live with it.

"What's this? Are you nervous, Ichikawa?! You've been touching your chest for a while there!"

Yukari snaps out of her thoughts at Jun's words. She then simply says, "Have you been looking at my chest, Jun-san? Pervert."

To everyone's amusement, Jun's face turns bright red like a boiled lobster, "I WASN'T!"

"Jun-san, how could you ogle my girlfriend like that?" Kazuya adds playfully.

"I SAID I WASN'T! YOU DEVIL COUPLE!" Jun shouts as he stomps away from Yukari and Kazuya as everyone laughs at him. Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it through her mouth. _It's okay. It's fine today. I have to be strong for them._

"You _do_ look kinda nervous, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says. He takes Yukari's ponytail in his hand and presses it against his mouth, "We'll be fine. Just look over us like you usually do."

Yukari blushes at the gesture. She lightly slaps his hand away and says, "S-Shut up… hurry up and line up," much to her surprise, Kazuya takes her Seidou cap off of her head, "O-Oi…"

"Revenge. For all those times you stole my hats," Kazuya says as he takes his hat off. He adjusts his cap's setting and slides her ponytail through the cap's hole at the back. He then adjusts her cap's setting and puts it on his head, "Nice, right? Kinda like a good luck charm."

If it's possible, Yukari's cheeks turn redder, "…just go."

Kazuya laughs, "Yes, yes," his eyes widen when all of a sudden Yukari lightly grips his hand.

"…you better win," Yukari says. Kazuya understands that it's her way of wishing him luck, and he squeezes her hand back.

"You got it," Kazuya says before he pulls away and runs to the diamond to line up.

After both teams greet each other, Inajitsu's starting players gather in the mound as Seidou's players return to the dugout. Yukari watches as the players crouch with the head coach.

"Wait for a meatball until you're cornered. Don't be afraid to strike out and swing for a specific pitch. It's hot today. Even Narumiya will crumble if we make him pitch a lot."

The players nod at him.

"LET'S GO!"

"YEAH!"

xXx

At first, Seidou had the upper hand. During the first inning, thanks to Youichi's steal, Ryousuke's bunt, and Jun's RBI, Seidou obtained their first run. Furuya also managed to hold down the fort by not letting Inajitsu score. At least until the bottom of fourth when Inajitsu scored two runs in a row thanks to Harada.

At the bottom of fifth, Furuya went into the left field while Tanba entered the mound. While his curveballs were good, his fastballs weren't. He gave up the first home run of the match with the first batter he went up against. Then he walked the next batter and hit the batter after that. It didn't seem like he could calm down. Fortunately, the only run he let go was the home run. He managed to hold down Inajitsu's batters with his – albeit inconsistent – pitching.

It is now top of sixth, and Narumiya is starting to get serious. Yukari can tell that he was only going all out with Tetsu during the first five innings, since he only threw the change-up during Tetsu's at-bat. It seems that he was waiting for Inajitsu to gain a significant lead before he starts throwing one change-up after another at every batter.

Yukari eyes Ryousuke, who has just returned from his at-bat, warily. While he has been doing well, he has also been making more errors than usual. Her eyes land on his left leg. _I really don't want to stop him from playing… but I can't let him hurt himself or the team's chances any longer._

"Ichikawa," Yukari lifts her head when she hears Youichi call him, "Have a moment?"

Yukari sighs and nods. She stands up from her seat and follows Youichi to the corner of the dugout. They stand side by side, looking out at the diamond, and neither of them speaks up.

"Ryou-san's leg… you know, right?" Youichi asks with a hushed voice.

Yukari nods, "Yeah. I gave him first aid treatment, but I don't think it's doing him any good; after all, it's his leg. He uses it more than any other parts of his body during the match."

Youichi eyes Ryousuke at the corner of his eyes, "What should we do?"

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it harshly, "I think Kantoku knows already, so I'm leaving it in his hands," she says as she walks back to her seat.

"Is everything okay?" Chris asks.

Yukari sighs again. The bad feeling lingering in her chest won't go away, and it's weighing heavily on her heart; both figuratively and literally, "…we'll see," Yukari ultimately says. She flinches and winces when she feels pain stabbing her chest. She presses on her chest as she turns her attention toward the diamond once again.

Unfortunately, even though Jun manages to hit Narumiya's change-up, Seidou fails to score another run.

"Ryou-san," Yukari hears Youichi call out. She looks at Youichi and Ryousuke, still standing near the dugout. She also eyes Kataoka on the corner of her eyes. He's watching them too, "As I thought, I can't make you stop, Ryou-san. You're irreplaceable to this team. Let's definitely go to Koshien!"

 _So that's your decision, Youichi-kun?_ Yukari wonders as she lets a small smile out from looking at them.

On the bottom of sixth, the bases are loaded. Inajitsu's batter manages to get a hit. Yukari's eyes widen when Ryousuke only manages to tap the ball with his glove, but then she sighs in relief when she sees Youichi covering for him, catching the ball with his bare hand and stepping on second base, outing the runner from first.

"If that had gone through, we could've conceded two runs," Chris says.

"Yeah. He's tough, that one," Kataoka says as he looks at Ryousuke.

Yukari bites her lower lip. _I knew it; he knows. I shouldn't have expected anything less from Kataoka-kantoku._

On the top of seventh, Seidou continues to fail to add up to their scores. Not even Tetsu manages to give them a chance to score. Unlike the last inning, Narumiya doesn't throw the change-up at all. Yukari can see and feel everyone's frustration.

 _They got us… they made us think about the change-up_ , Yukari winces as her chest pulses in pain again. She presses her hand to her chest as she struggles to catch her breath. When she actually manages to get some oxygen in her lungs, she chokes on it. She covers her mouth as she starts to coughs harshly. The players from the field run toward the dugout.

"Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura shouts.

"Ichikawa, are you okay?" Tetsu asks as Kazuya jumps in front of Yukari, putting a hand on her shoulder as he eyes her in worry.

"Yuka-chan?" Kazuya pats her back as she continues to cough.

"I knew it; you're still sick! You shouldn't have pushed yourself, damn it!" Jun says.

"Even though you always got mad at us for pushing ourselves… what a hypocrite," Ryousuke says.

"Maybe you should sit this one out," Chris suggests.

"No," Yukari immediately answers hoarsely. She clears her throat and says clearly, "I want to stay."

"Otoutou-kun, get her some water," Youichi says.

"Y-Yes!" Haruichi says as he runs to get her a bottle of water.

"I'm fine," Yukari says as she straightens up and slowly takes a deep breath, "I was just coughing, for goodness sake… stop exaggerating," she says in irritation, "Or are you guys so desperate to get me out of the dugout because you don't want me to see you guys looking pathetic?" she looks at the players and smirks at them, "Look. I didn't come back from the dead just to see you guys fall."

"It's not over yet!" Sawamura says loudly.

Yukari winces at the volume of his voice, but nonetheless nods at the first year southpaw, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Sawamura's right. We still have two innings left. We're only two runs behind. Isn't this business as usual for us?"

"It's far from over! It's only the beginning! Let's keep on fighting!" Sawamura shouts. He yelps when Ryousuke chops his head.

"Too close," Ryousuke says.

"Don't yell in our ears!" Youichi says.

Jun drives his fist into Sawamura's crown, "Teme! We'll definitely take the game back, so just shut up!"

Much to everyone's surprise, Sawamura smiles at Jun, "Yes, sir! I've never doubted you for a second!"

Yukari smirks at the frustration on the players' faces. _Yes, you guys are so pathetic that even someone as dense as Sawamura feels the need to cheer you up._

"Just look, Ichikawa! You're definitely not gonna see us looking pathetic! Mark my words!" Jun shouts as the players run into the dugout.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Yukari says. The players filter into the diamond. She accepts a bottle of water from Haruichi and drinks.

As Tanba runs to pick up a bunt, he falls to his knees. Yukari doesn't think twice and ignores her surroundings. She's the first out of the dugout, with Kataoka close behind her, as they run in full speed toward their ace.

"Tanba-san, what's wrong?" Yukari asks as she pants.

"M-My foot…" Tanba groans as the other players surround them. Yukari paces her breathing before she continues.

"Straighten your leg," Yukari commands. Tanba complies and Yukari pushes his right foot toward his leg. Tanba groans and squeezes his eyes in pain. _It's just a cramp. He should be fine._

Not long after that, Yukari stops and Tanba crouches.

"How are you?" Kataoka asks.

"I'm fine," Tanba says, "I can do this."

Yukari eyes Tanba and Kataoka. When the head coach catches her eyes, she nods at him. She pulls her hat off of her head and nods at the umpire as she follows Kataoka back to the dugout.

"Is Tanba okay?" Oota asks. At first he looks at Yukari. But because she's eyeing the head coach, he turns his attention to Kataoka, "Kantoku!"

"Sakai. Kominato," Kataoka starts, "Go warm up right now."

"Yes, sir!" Sakai and Haruichi say.

"Kadota. Tell the two in the bullpen to get ready."

"Yes, sir!"

"Ichikawa."

"Yes, sir?"

"Are you okay?" Kataoka asks. She knows why he's asking her this. She has been having chest pains and she's having trouble covering it up. Not to mention with the chest pain, comes the difficulty of catching her breath. She also had just sprinted toward Tanba out of worry, which doesn't help her condition. Right now, she is still breathing quite heavily, and the pain in her chest flares from time to time.

Yukari takes a deep breath slowly and exhales it, "I'm fine. Please let me stay, Kantoku."

"Okay," Kataoka says. If Chris is confused by their exchange, he doesn't say it.

During Harada's at-bat, Inajitsu attempts a hit and run, but Harada fouls the pitch. Yukari jumps out of her seat when Tanba slightly crouches, but stops when he lifts his hand up toward Kazuya, who stands up to approach him. Tanba then turns his attention to her in the dugout and gives her a thumb up. _Tanba-san…_ she thinks as she sits back down and heaves.

"Kantoku, we should…" Oota starts. Yukari eyes the head coach, who nods at Kazuya. _So we're still going with Tanba-san… for now,_ she thinks as she watches Tanba stretching his legs.

Tanba throws two wide pitches that are called balls. _Walking him would be a better choice than letting him hit and let Carlos score…_ Yukari thinks as she sees Kazuya signing to Tanba to walk Harada. She can tell that Tanba doesn't like the decision, but it's for the best.

Kazuya then calls for a time out and Kataoka steps out of the dugout.

"Seidou High School is switching players. Replacing the pitcher, Tanba-kun is Sawamura-kun."

xXx

When Tanba returns to the dugout, Yukari hands him a towel and a bottle of water, but not a shoulder pack. She'd like to think that he'll return to the mound. After he sits down, Yukari then tells him to roll his ankles. She ignores what's happening in the diamond; surely Sawamura is just being the usual idiot that he is.

Yukari returns to her seat beside Chris and focuses on the game. Yukari smirks when Kazuya fully utilizes his knowledge on both Sawamura and Narumiya by asking for two consecutive inside pitches and baits for another inside pitch. Narumiya can't help but swing on the last one, even when the ball lands near his face. A perfect three-for-three strikeout.

"Nice call," Yukari smirks at Kazuya when the players return to the dugout.

"Thanks," Kazuya says as he returns her smirk, "You okay?"

Yukari rolls her eyes, "I'm fine."

Kazuya takes his cap from the bench beside Yukari and slips her ponytail into the hole of the cap like he did before the match started. Yukari blushes at the gesture, much to Kazuya's amusement. Kataoka gathers all the players in front of the dugout. Chris is standing behind him while Yukari stays in her seat.

"Narumiya has pitched ten change-ups so far. He only threw it four times in the first five innings, but he threw six in the sixth," Chris says.

"It's as if they're trying to shift our focus to the pitch that struck out Tetsu-san," Yukari adds.

"In all their past games this season, he's only used around ten change-ups per game. Even in this game, he stopped using it after Isashiki sent it to the outfield," Chris says, "This is purely a speculation, but they may have a reason they don't want to use it so many times."

"T-True… there is something off about how they used it, but perhaps that's what they want us to think!" Oota says. Yukari eyes the head coach and waits for his decision.

"It doesn't matter if there's a reason for their use of the change-up. If they've made us think this hard about it, then we've already played into their hands," Kataoka says, "If we continue to play like we have, we can't win."

 _He's right…_ Yukari thinks.

Kataoka narrows his eyes at his players and says, "Forget about their change-up."

Furuya is batting, and he manages to get a hit to the right field after one ball and two strikes. The next batter is Sawamura, who does a – very well done – sacrifice bunt to advance Furuya to the next base. Next batter, Kenjirou, manages to hit the first pitch and reaches the first base. Yukari watches in amusement when Kenjirou roars. _I've never seen Kenjirou-kun this pumped up in a game…_

One out with runners on first and third, and the next batter is Youichi.

"Kuramochi," Kataoka calls out before he gets to the batter's box. Standing beside him is Ryousuke. From the corner of her eyes, Yukari notices that Harada has called for a time out.

"Yes, sir?" Youichi asks as he approaches the head coach.

"I need you to hear this too," Ryousuke says, "I want a pinch hitter."

"Eh?! Why would you say that, Kominato?!" Oota asks, "Are you hurt somewhere?"

"Ryou-san!"

Ryousuke eyes Yukari and nods at her. Yukari sighs, "He is. He hurt his shin when he slid into home plate during the match against Sensen. I already applied first aid, but I don't think it's helping much."

"I hate to admit it, but I can't move like I thought I could," Ryousuke admits. Youichi looks like he doesn't like what he has to say.

"…are you sure it's okay?" Kataoka asks.

Ryousuke turns his head toward Kataoka and smiles, "Yes. Because I know we have a lot of good underclassmen."

Kataoka nods, "I understand."

Youichi grits his teeth and leaves for the batter's box, this time he's going to bat from the right-handed box. He seems more nervous than usual, but at the same time, he looks very determined.

"You're next at-bat. Are you ready?" Kataoka asks. Yukari peeks above her shoulders and sees Haruichi with his batting helmet and gloves ready, along with his trusted wooden bat.

"Yes, sir."

Seidou is attempting a squeeze play twice in a row. The first one failed because Youichi fouls the pitch, but the next one, he lunges for the pitch and taps the ball successfully. Furuya slides into the home plate, scoring them a run. Even though he doesn't reach first base in time, Youichi returns to the dugout with a huge smile on his face. Everyone in the dugout congratulates him, lifting the mood.

Kataoka then steps out of the dugout and calls for a change in players.

"Seidou High School is switching players. Pinch hitting for the second batter and baseman, Kominato Ryousuke-kun is Kominato Haruichi-kun."

Haruichi walks into the diamond as his brother returns to the dugout. Ryousuke seems to have said something to his younger brother, but Yukari can't tell. Haruichi takes his place in the batter's box, standing close to the plate. Narumiya pitches. Haruichi takes a step back and smacks the ball.

Yukari's eyes widen when the force of the ball breaks Haruichi's bat. Even though it breaks the bat, the ball lands in left field. Kenjirou advances to third and Haruichi steps into first base.

"Nice batting!" Youichi shouts.

Yukari scoffs out a small laugh when, as usual, Haruichi pumps his fist in the air with blush streaking his cheeks. _People have been calling him Seidou's lucky boy… but if he's this consistent, then it's not luck; it's skill._ She hisses, both in shock and pain, when the pain flares in her chest.

Too preoccupied with her pain, Yukari doesn't notice the worrying looks sent her way from not only the players in the dugout, but also Kataoka and Oota. They are all thinking the same thing: they need to finish this immediately.

Jun is up next, and after the count is 2-2, he keeps fouling Narumiya's pitches.

 _If a change-up comes now, we might be doomed…_ Yukari thinks as she takes a slow, deep breath; both because it's hard for her to take a breath and to calm herself down. She closes her eyes as she leans back against the bench, feeling a little bit dizzy. _Geez, my condition might be much worse than I thought… I can't keep worrying them like this,_ she thinks as she straightens herself back up.

Narumiya pitches and Harada catches it on the ground. Yukari holds her breath as she watches Jun almost swinging at it. When the umpire calls it a ball, she lets out a breath of relief. _That was close…_ she thinks as she puts a hand over her racing heart.

"Now it's 50:50," Chris says.

Narumiya then pitches another ball and walks Jun to first base. Two outs with base loaded. The next batter is Tetsu, and Yukari is conflicted. While Tetsu has always been a very reliable batter, he hasn't hit anything Narumiya threw at him. _But the momentum is definitely in our favor right now. If everything goes well, we should be fine. It's all in your hands, Tetsu-san._

The first pitch is a forkball, and Tetsu misses it. Yukari's eyes widen when Harada misses the second pitch. Kenjirou has already started to run for home, but Tetsu stops him before he goes too far from the base. The Inajitsu battery takes their time to decide the next pitch. In the end, Harada spreads his arms, giving Narumiya freedom in his pitch. Narumiya winds up.

Tetsu pops the next pitch to the backstop. He then continues to foul Narumiya's pitches. _Tetsu-san is swinging even at the balls… Narumiya must be pitching some good ones._ Yukari bites her lower lip as she tries to cover up her wince when pain strikes her chest again. _I knew finals would be stressful, but I didn't think it would be_ this _stressful… I'm getting dizzy._

Narumiya pitches and Yukari's eyes widen at the course of it. _A change-up?_ Tetsu swings and hits the ball past the right fielder. Kenjirou and Haruichi arrive safely on the home plate. Jun advances to third and Tetsu lands in second. Yukari can't hold back a smile.

The next batter is Masuko. Even though he manages to hit Narumiya's first pitch, Carlos manages to stop it once again. Time to change.

Needless to say, when Tetsu returns to the dugout, the players shower him with praises.

"What happened to ignoring the change-up?! Were you aiming for it?!" Jun asks.

"No," Tetsu answers, "I don't remember what I hit. When I realized it, I was on second."

"…he doesn't remember?" Oota asks incredulously.

Yukari can't hold back her chuckles at his words, "I wouldn't expect anything less from a baseball idiot," she says as she smirks at their captain, "Great job, Captain Yuuki."

Tetsu smiles at Yukari and nods. Tanba high fives Tetsu and the players get ready to defend.

"Kawakami, can you go anytime?" Kataoka asks. Nori nods, "The next two innings are going to be up to you and Sawamura."

In front of the dugout, Sawamura takes a deep breath.

"Do it one more time!" Kazuya commands. Sawamura complies.

"Sawamura! Stay focused!"

"One at a time!"

"Don't rush!"

"We may have turned it around, but we're only up by one! Don't forget to stay aggressive until the end!" Kataoka shouts.

"Yes, sir!"


	20. Chapter 20

Yukari has to be honest; she has had a bad feeling since the beginning of the game. Not even racking up those runs made her feel better. If anything, the bad feeling worsens as the game continues. First it was Tetsu getting struck out twice in a row, and then Tanba's leg cramp and Ryousuke's injured shin. They're facing one setback after another, and Yukari doesn't think it's the end. She doesn't remember ever facing this many setbacks in one match before.

The first batter hits Sawamura's crossfire to the left field and reaches first base. The next batter bunts, and Masuko chases after the ball. He stops in his tracks before he collides with Sawamura, who has also started chasing the ball. Sawamura got the ball and throws it to Youichi who steps onto second base, outing the runner from first.

 _That was close… if Masuko-san didn't notice him, they would've collided… we don't need more injured players_ , Yukari thinks as she sighs in relief.

Yukari watches the runner on first, Hirai Tsubasa. _He's taking a big lead…_ Sawamura then throws the ball and Kazuya catches it. He swiftly throws it to first base, but Hirai manages to touch the base just in time. Even so, he still takes a big lead.

Sawamura then winds up, and Yukari's eyes widen. _This one's different…_ she frantically grabs her pencil and starts sketching his form. He releases the ball and she continues to sketch the trajectory of the ball. When the ball breaks vertically, she smirks. _Sawamura… I can't believe he's got another pitch in his repertoire…_

The batter jams the pitch, and Masuko catches the ball. He throws it to Haruichi in second base, who then throws it to Tetsu. Double play.

"A cutter, seriously?" Yukari shakes her head with a small smirk, "I knew he threw the crossfire during the match with Sensen, but I thought it was just a fluke. I guess I missed the memo."

Chris smirks, "I'm sure I've written it down in my notes… you must be really out of it to miss it."

"I guess I'm still not 100% yet," Yukari admits, "Or that would've been the first note that really caught my eye."

The players return to the dugout, praising the first year southpaw for his pitching. Yukari holds back any praises because she knows that the praise will get to his head and then he might start messing up. She'll just leave the praising to the others.

When she reaches down for her drink, she notices that the bottle is already empty. She stands up from her seat to get a new one from the cooler in the back of the dugout. When she turns around, her surroundings go blurry and she immediately grabs for the bench, kicking her empty bottle of water in the process. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

Her eyes widen suddenly when an arm around her shoulder maneuvers her forward. When she finally gains her focus, she's already sitting on the bench on the back of the dugout. She notices the players are trying to sneak a look at her from the corner of their eyes. Yukari knows, yet she doesn't say anything about it. She lets the hand that brought her there take her baseball cap off, but when the hand touches her ponytail, she stops it.

"I'll do it myself," Yukari says as she takes her hairband off without letting her hair loose. She then turns her high ponytail to a side ponytail as she pushes her shoes off with her feet. When she's done, the same hand gently pushes her shoulder so she's lying down on the bench.

"You have to keep your feet raised, right?"

Yukari nods as she takes a deep breath and exhales it, "Sorry, Kazuya."

Kazuya shakes his head incredulously as he lifts Yukari's feet slightly in the air and puts them down on a random sports bag, "You should've told any of us if you're not feeling well," he says with a small, almost sad smile. He pets Yukari's hair lovingly, "Get some rest."

"Tell me if anyone injured themselves," Yukari says.

"Sure," Kazuya says as he kisses Yukari's temple. He pulls away with a laugh right before her hand hits his face. Yukari then closes her eyes with a sigh. One of her hands is across her abdomen while the other is pressed against her forehead.

"You're the one who always got mad at us for pushing ourselves too hard. Why don't you listen to your own advice for once? I mean, you just passed out for a whole day from emotional stress and you're jumping right into a huge source of it," Ryousuke says as he sits on the bench in front of the bench she's lying on.

Yukari scoffs, "I guess I'm not qualified as a trainer yet. I really thought I'm well enough, but I guess I underestimated the stress level of this match."

"It's the finals; of course it's stressful, idiot," Ryousuke says without really meaning it.

"It's my fifth year with this team, and this is the first time I've been to the finals, so I guess wouldn't know," Yukari says as she closes her eyes, "I wanted to know why people want to go to Koshien so bad. I mean… what's so good about it anyway?"

"…that's why we'll take you there, Yukari. You and Kantoku," Ryousuke says. Yukari smiles without opening her eyes, "Whoa…"

"What's wrong, Ryou-nii?"

"Miyuki just hit a double," Ryousuke says with a laugh.

"With no runners?" Yukari asks incredulously before she chuckles, "As usual, he performs well in a pinch. I guess the pressure excites him."

"What a weirdo," Ryousuke says. He continues to tell Yukari about what's happening in the game as Yukari recuperates. Furuya manages a hit that helps Kazuya advance to third, but he can't reach first base in time. One out. Ryousuke then tells her that Inajitsu has called their infields in and Sawamura has entered the batter's box.

Ryousuke laughs once again and he says that Sawamura manages to foul the first pitch. Yukari scoffs. _I don't think he was supposed to hit it. Why is it that when he's supposed to miss the ball, he hits it, and when he's required to hit the ball, he misses?_ She takes a deep breath and sighs. _But I'm sure he's managed to confuse not only us, but Inajitsu as well._

Yukari hears the announcer saying that Kazuya is out at the plate. Ryousuke then explains that Sawamura's bunt, while it was perfect, was caught by Narumiya and passed toward Harada quickly. Kenjirou also gets out pretty quickly, and it's time to change.

As the players filter into the dugout, Yukari slowly pulls her feet off of the bag and onto the ground. She slowly sits up and takes deep breaths as she slips her feet into her shoes. She takes her phone out of her pocket and finally decides to tell her parents of her condition. After she's done sending the message, she turns her phone back off.

"Sakai!" Kataoka calls out, "Get in left field. Switch with Furuya."

"Yes, sir!"

"Kawakami! Be ready to go anytime!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Sawamura! Kawakami is ready to go behind you. Go all out!" Kataoka commands, "Listen up! They're coming after a run with everything they've got. Be careful about getting each out! Don't think you've won until the very end!"

"YES, SIR!"

"This year's Inajitsu is much stronger compared to last year. That's my sincere opinion. And you guys are giving them a run for their money. Go play your hearts out with pride and confidence."

Yukari smirks. She stands up slowly and makes her way back to her seat as the players filter out for defense.

 _This is it… if we can defend well, we'll go to Koshien… but… what is this uneasiness?_

xXx

With Haruichi's fine play, Seidou manages to get their first out. The next batter, Carlos, tries to pressure Sawamura by standing very close to the plate. _If it's Sawamura, he can do it. He has the guts for it. If he can't do it, then_ no one _can._

The first pitch is a low and away ball. When he pitches his second one, Yukari's eyes widen. _That's not good!_ Carlos hits the ball, but Tetsu practically throws himself to catch the ball. The umpire calls it a foul. Sawamura pitches again, and Carlos manages to hit it again toward left field.

Yukari winces as Sakai jumps and rolls forward a couple of times. He then lifts his gloved hand with the ball inside of it. Yukari slumps in her seat. _If the stress from the match doesn't kill me first, I think the stress from the fact that these guys don't care about their own bodies will._

She scans the diamond and meets Tetsu's eyes. She silently asks if he's fine and he nods at her. She then turns to look at Sakai, who manages to catch her eyes. She does the same and he confirms that he's not hurt. She sighs, and she winces minutely as she tries to mask the pain she feels from her chest.

Her eyes then pause on Sawamura. She frowns when she feels something is wrong from him, but she can't put a finger on it. She can hear her heart beating against her chest. She bites her lower lip.

 _Somehow… I don't feel good about this next at-bat…_ she can feel herself panicking a little when she fails to catch Kazuya's eyes; the catcher's eyes are already focused on the next batter, Shirakawa Katsuyuki. _Something's wrong with Sawamura… Kazuya…!_

Yukari tunes out the crowd's chanting as she watches the battery carefully. _Please… please… let me be wrong…_ Sawamura's first pitch is a ball, and Shirakawa fouls the next one. When she sees the course of his third pitch, her breath hitches.

Her bad feeling comes true as she watches Sawamura's third pitch hits Shirakawa's head.

He falls to the ground as his helmet falls from his head. He picks himself up quite quickly, and Yukari flinches violently at his roar, her heart jolting in pain.

"D-Dead ball!"

Shirakawa is then brought back to the dugout to receive treatment, and the match comes to a pause.

Unfortunately for Seidou, Shirakawa is granted a pinch runner, who is the batter before him; the worst possible person to have on base, Kamiya Carlos Toshiki. Just like it's a bad news for their rival to have Youichi on base, Carlos is the last person Seidou wants to have on base.

Yukari bites her lower lip. _Sawamura isn't a robot who can't feel the pressure. He just happens to have stronger heart than anyone else in the team._ She is then reminded of Todoroki Raichi, who crumbled under the pressure of wanting to keep his team from losing during their match. _He is still an inexperienced first year, and we might have asked too much from him._

Yukari watches as the players gather in the mound. She can hear Youichi's signature laugh as he loudly tries to comfort Sawamura, but she is growing more worried by the second as she can't hear Sawamura's usual, equally loud reply. _He has never acted like this when he hit a dead ball at a batter… so it must be because he hit the head._

She sees Kazuya eyeing Kataoka from the mound. She bites her lower lip when she sees him shaking his head – both out of worry and to distract herself from the pain coming from her chest.

"Kawakami!"

Nori might have said something to Sawamura in passing, but Yukari can't tell what. She can only watch as Sawamura walks into the dugout with his head down. She doesn't know what to do. She can't even bring herself to applaud him like Chris does.

She knows that there are people who appreciate getting praised for something they did well at after they've made a mistake, but there are also people who don't. Kaori was the type who hated getting praised after she messed up; in fact, she blew up at people who even dared to say a good word about her. So what Yukari did as her sister and battery partner was just leave her alone until she regained her senses.

Perhaps, this method will work with Sawamura as well.

She doesn't give him a shoulder pack, just like she didn't with Tanba and Furuya. She just refocuses on the match. With Carlos taking a big lead, Nori can't help but be wary of him. His first pitch is a strike to the outside. After catching it, Kazuya immediately stands and threatens to throw the ball to first. Carlos returns to first base.

As Nori pitches the second pitch, Carlos runs. The next batter, Yoshizawa Hideaki, misses the slider and Kazuya threatens to throw the ball again. _Good, Nori, you're doing well_ , Yukari thinks. The next two pitches are a ball. As Nori throws the fifth pitch, Carlos steals. Yoshizawa fouls the ball and Kazuya misses it. Again, Carlos stays in first base.

Yoshizawa continues to foul Nori's pitches until Nori pitches his fourth ball. Yukari clicks her tongue. Kazuya asks for their final time out and Tanba runs to the mound as a messenger. When she sees that they can still make fun of Tanba's head, Yukari feels a little bit calmer. As much as they are making fools of themselves, as long as Nori is calm, she doesn't care what method they use.

"Tanba, nice! Nice head!" Oota shouts.

Yukari smirks. _Thank God for the third years…_

The time out ends and the next batter, Harada, enters the batter's box. The first pitch is an outside ball. The next one is an inside pitch, and Harada hits it to the ground past Nori. Haruichi manages to stop it, but unfortunately his throw toward Youichi is a little bit short. As Yoshizawa is called safe, Carlos runs toward home. _Kazuya…!_

But before Kazuya can get the ball, Carlos has touched the home plate.

Yukari can already see the hope dimming out of everyone's eyes.

"It's not over! Switch gears!"

Yukari jumps slightly as she holds a hand over her heart out of shock and pain. Kataoka's shout brings everyone out of their dump, and Yukari can see the players' eyes have come back to life, even just a little bit. _It's true. If we can defend this inning, we'll go into extra innings and that's okay. We still have a chance._

Yukari's eyes widen when Narumiya hits Nori's first pitch toward center field. She can see Jun and Kenjirou chasing after it. But when the ball flies over Jun's glove, Yukari can only slump in her seat as Yoshizawa runs home.

Yukari squeezes her eyes shut and silently puts on her earphones.

So she won't have to see or hear her precious brothers' tears.

xXx

The Seidou baseball team is greeted by their supporters outside of the stadium, as per usual. But this time, the steps they take toward the bus feels a lot heavier than usual. Yukari watches the players as they line up. Tetsu takes a step forward.

"We are sorry we could not live up to your expectations! Thank you for supporting us!"

"THANK YOU!"

Yukari stands on the side beside Chris, leaning against the bus as the players bow at their supporters. She takes off her cap as she wipes the sweat out of her forehead. Her eyes widen when she sees her parents walking toward the bus. The baseball fans in the crowd start to grow louder as they realize that Ichikawa Kawanomu is practically within their reach.

"Yukari," Yayoi calls out as Yukari silently pulls off her earphones, "We're here to pick you up."

"Otou-san… Okaa-san…" _But I don't want to leave them today…_

"Everyone," Kawanomu starts as the Seidou players straighten up, "You all fought very well. I'm sure Tesshin is very proud of each and every one of you."

"THANK YOU!" the Seidou players bow at Kawanomu.

"Well, Yukari, let's go," Yayoi says. She frowns when she sees her daughter looking down at the ground, "Yukari?"

"…no…"

"Eh?"

"I want to go… with them…" Yukari says as she squeezes Kazuya's baseball cap in her hand.

"Yukari…"

"Please!" Yukari begs desperately, much to the shock of her parents and the players. They have never heard her ask so desperately of something, "Please… just for today. I want to go home with them."

Yayoi and Kawanomu look at each other and Kawanomu sighs, "Just for today, okay?"

"Eh?" Yukari lifts her head up in shock. She didn't think it would be that easy.

"Kazuya-kun."

Not only Kazuya, but Yukari is also taken aback at Yayoi's call, "Y-Yes, ma'am?"

"Please take care of Yukari," Yayoi says with a soft, motherly smile.

Kazuya nods at her, "…yes, ma'am."

"Everyone, great job today," Yayoi says as she smiles toward the other players. She then gives her daughter the same motherly smile she gave Kazuya, "We'll pick you up from the dorms tomorrow, Yukari. Take care of them well."

Yukari bites her lower lip to hold down the tears at bay, "Thanks, Okaa-san, Otou-san."

"Rei-chan, Tesshin-kun, we'll see you tomorrow!" Yayoi says as she waves toward Rei and Kataoka. Yukari's parents leave Yukari with the Seidou players.

After all of her upperclassmen have entered the bus, instead of going to her usual seat, she picks a seat near the back, nearest to her beloved third year upperclassmen. She sits on the window seat and leans her head against the cold glass. When she turns a little to see the aisle, she immediately regrets it.

Tetsu, her strong Captain Yuuki, has tears flowing down his cheeks.

Her eyes widen at the sight. When she hears a sob coming from the seat in front of her that sounds like Sawamura, she can't take it anymore.

She leans her head against the window as she tries to hide her face in her shoulder. She squeezes Kazuya's cap in her hands as tears start to build in her eyes. She tries to hold them back, but to no avail. They rebelliously run down her cheeks, leaving her with no means of controlling them.

Someone then gently pulls her head from hiding, and instead hides her in their chest. When she realizes whose strong chest it was, Yukari lets the baseball cap fall onto the bus floor as she desperately grabs at the white uniform in front of her, pushing her face against their body to muffle her light sobs. Even if she wants to move – not that she does –, she can't; Kazuya's hand is holding her head too tightly.

 _Why them…? Anyone but them…_


	21. Chapter 21

**I would like to thank A Whisper None Can Hear for her sweet review. Your review made me blush and made my day, thank you so much. While I am happy from your words, I also feel a bit of a pressure. Knowing that there is someone who thinks of this fic the way you do makes me wanna do better and not disappoint anyone who likes this fic just like you do. Hopefully I don't mess up haha. Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning, Yukari is up at the usual time. If she has to say anything about herself in the mirror, she'll say that she looks _horrible_. Her eyes are puffy from both crying and lack of sleep. She doesn't even remember when she finally succumbed to sleep after she finally stopped crying. This is why she hates crying; it makes her look horrible in the morning and it doesn't change anything. No matter how hard she cries, they still lost.

After they returned to the dorms yesterday, she managed to just barely pull herself together as she watched all the players just sitting in the cafeteria with tears down their cheeks, unable to touch the food that the cafeteria auntie had prepared to celebrate their victory. She still had Kazuya's baseball cap squeezed in one of her hands. Needless to say, it was her first time seeing a baseball cap so wrinkled. She felt bad about having to return it to him in that state.

After she makes her face look as presentable as possible, she jogs around the baseball field. After she's done, she takes a shower and gets ready to help the cafeteria auntie with breakfast. She warns her not to make too much, because she knows that everyone won't have too much of an appetite. When her upperclassmen come into the room, they look much worse than Yukari was when she saw herself in the mirror that morning. They must've cried themselves to sleep.

The sight she sees during breakfast isn't much different than what she saw during dinner last night. As she thought, they barely touch their food as they start to cry again when they see each other's faces. All their underclassmen, including Yukari, can only watch them. They don't feel that they deserve to cry anymore, no matter how much they wanted to.

After Yukari is done helping the cafeteria auntie with the leftovers, she walks back to her room. On her way there, she sees Masuko leaving his dorm room.

"Going home, Masuko-san?" Yukari asks as a greeting.

"I am," Masuko says, "How do you feel, Ichikawa-chan?"

"If you're talking about my health, I feel much better than yesterday, thank you for asking," Yukari says. She doesn't need to tell him how she feels about their loss, "Be careful on your way home, Masuko-san."

"Take care of yourself, Ichikawa-chan. I'll see you in two days," Masuko then smiles, "Who knows? Maybe we'll be neighbors."

Yukari gives him a small smile, relieved to see him smile, "We'll see."

Masuko leaves the dorms and Yukari bows at his departing figure.

Yukari returns to her room and sees the baseball cap she wore yesterday sitting on top of her bed, looking wrinkled. When she woke up this morning, she was holding onto it like a kid would hold their favorite doll. Somehow, when she has that cap in her hands, she feels just a little bit calmer. Or maybe it's just her imagination. But that cap isn't hers, and she has to return it.

She takes the cap in her hands and goes to Kazuya's room. When nobody answers her knocks, she sighs and makes her way toward the cafeteria again. She remembers seeing him there before she left for her room. She meets Youichi on her way there.

"Yo," Youichi says.

"Hey," Yukari says, "Where are you going?"

"Cafeteria," Youichi says, "Masuko-san just left and there's no way I'm staying in that room alone with Sawamura."

"I'll come with you," Yukari says as they fall into step, "How's Sawamura doing, by the way?"

Youichi sighs in exasperation, "I don't know. It's like when Chris-senpai didn't make it to first string all over again, only worse. I don't know what to say to him."

"Maybe…" Yukari starts, "Maybe we don't have to say anything to him. It could be a matter of who says what to him that will knock some sense into him."

"You might be right…" Youichi says as he opens the door to the cafeteria. Kazuya is sitting in front of the TV, the video of their match against Inajitsu yesterday playing in it. When Yukari sees him biting on his fingernails, she sighs and resolutely walks toward him. She slaps the hand that he's biting on.

"Nail-biting is a horrible habit," Yukari says. Kazuya lowers his hand but doesn't turn to look at them.

"You're already reviewing yesterday's game?" Youichi asks. When Kazuya doesn't respond to any of them, he grits his teeth, "That's great and all, but do you have to do it now? The upperclassmen have already retired, and–"

"We weren't good enough," Kazuya cuts Youichi off, "I wasn't… and the team wasn't."

Yukari and Youichi watch Kazuya with wide eyes as the video continues to the moment of their loss. He then turns to look at Youichi and Yukari, and she jumps a little at the look on his face.

"Even with such unbelievable upperclassmen, we couldn't win. We don't have the indisputable cleanup anymore. We don't have an ace. As it stands now, going to Koshien next year will be nothing but a pipe dream."

When Yukari sees the determination in Kazuya's eyes that contradicts his words, while she is a little bit intimidated by it, she strangely feels calm. This team still has hope. They can still be better. Yukari is sure of that.

"…then let's get stronger," Yukari says, gaining Youichi and Kazuya's attentions, "It's true; we've been depending on our upperclassmen too much. We didn't even think about what we should do when they eventually leave, because we were naïve. We were so sure that we'll still be playing together, at least longer than this. But that's not the case now, is it?"

Yukari eyes her fellow second years and says, "From what I've seen, this team only gets better each year. I'm sure this year that would be the case as well. It's just a matter of when you guys will finally pick yourselves up and start practicing again. And take this the wrong way if you want, but our upperclassmen are replaceable. We still have a lot of great second string players, desperate to replace them in a game."

Yukari puts Kazuya's cap on the table in front of him, "I'm just here to return this and to tell you," she then looks at Youichi, "And you, that I'm going to the hospital again today for a check-up."

"Are you going home?" Youichi asks.

"You think I can leave you guys here like this? Think again," Yukari says, "In case you guys don't remember, I don't trust you guys. My parents will understand. Besides, what's the point of staying for just two days?" her phone then beeps. She peeks at her phone and sighs, "I'll see you guys later."

xXx

As she thought, Yukari gets scolded by her doctor for not just pushing herself to stay in a place where she can easily get emotionally stressed, but also because she hasn't been getting enough sleep. The doctor once again reminds her of all the things she should and should not do. Thankfully, the doctor only tells her to rest and doesn't need her to stay in the hospital, so Yukari is out of there quite quickly.

Much to her surprise, Yukari doesn't need to do a lot of begging, if not at all, to make her parents let her stay in the dorms. They simply drive her back to the dorms and remind her to tell them if she needs anything. She's infinitely grateful to have exceptionally understanding parents like them.

After she's returned, she notices a lot of the second string players, also the first and second year first string players, practicing in the indoor practice building. She smirks. With their upperclassmen retiring early, there are empty spots to fill, and it seems that the second string players are hungry for it.

During dinner, Yukari smirks as she sees the second string players eating more than they did during breakfast. It seems that she doesn't have a lot of things to worry about.

There is one thing that Yukari is curious about.

The third years are retiring, which includes their captain, Tetsu. From what she heard from Rei, they already have a scrimmage scheduled for next week. That means Kataoka has to appoint a captain soon. Unlike the third years, who have always been naturally led by Tetsu, the second years don't have someone like that. Yukari eyes her fellow second years, and her eyes fall on one person she thinks has the potential to lead the team.

"Yukari-chan, go ahead and eat! I can handle it from here," the cafeteria auntie says.

"Are you sure, Oba-san?" Yukari asks. The cafeteria auntie nods at her with a smile, "Then excuse me…"

Yukari takes her dinner – she is eternally thankful that on her first year here, she suggested a healthy, low-sodium diet that is heart-friendly to the cafeteria auntie, so she doesn't have to eat anything different from the others – and walks toward the second years' table. She simply sits on the free chair beside Kazuya and starts eating.

"I-I heard you were unwell yesterday, Ichikawa!" Zono says. He somehow always seems nervous when he's talking to Yukari. She knows why, but she thought he should've gotten over his nervousness already. They've been on the same team for almost two years, after all.

"Hmm?" Yukari looks up from her food, "Oh… yeah."

"Are you okay now?" Kenjirou asks.

"Yeah, you were in a pretty bad shape yesterday…" Nori says.

"You should've taken better care of yourself, Trainer-san," Youichi says with a mocking smirk.

"I already got scolded by my doctor today. Other than a bruised ego, I'm fine," Yukari says.

"THE ONE WHO WILL BECOME THE ACE IS ME! I'LL BE THE ACE OF ALL ACES! THE KING OF ACE!"

Yukari jumps a little in her seat – much to Kazuya's amusement, while her heart protests with a jolt of pain – when Sawamura suddenly shouts those words. She rolls her eyes as she puts a hand over her heart, "Again with this talk…?"

"DON'T IGNORE ME! Damn it! I'm eating! Harucchi! Rice!"

"Get it yourself."

 _What's that…? He seems just fine. I guess his rivalry with Furuya actually fuels his fire._

"That idiot needs to shut up," Youichi says with a smirk. Yukari smirks at him. _Yeah, yeah, say what you want. I know you're worried about him_ , "You okay with that, Nori? They're talking about becoming the ace.

"The ace is Nori," Zono says, "It's gonna be our team. We need to make it strong."

"You're really serious about this, Zono. You look even more like a mafia boss now. Hyahaha!"

"Shut up!"

"By the way, Ichikawa, do you know who Kantoku has in mind for the next captain?" Youichi asks.

Yukari shrugs, "I've got a couple of guesses, but nothing solid yet," she says as she continues to eat.

"Miyuki-senpai!" Sawamura suddenly calls out, "Can I see the footage of the final later?"

Yukari's eyes widen at his words, but she smirks. _I didn't think he'd ask for it so soon._

"Yeah. Go ahead," Kazuya says, "Furuya, you wanna watch too?"

Furuya shakes his head. Suddenly Nori stands from his seat, gaining the second years' attentions. Nobody tries to stop him as he leaves the cafeteria.

 _Nori…_

xXx

As Yukari prepares to get some sleep, someone knocks on her door. She frowns. It couldn't have been Kazuya, since he's in the cafeteria with Sawamura. But she can't think of anyone else who would come to her room at that hour. She puts her jacket on and opens the door.

"…Rei-san?"

"Yukari-chan, Kantoku wants to see you," Rei says, "It's about the next captain."

"…okay," Yukari says as she follows Rei to the head coach's room. When she enters the room, Kataoka asks her to wait for a while. Not long after that, Zono enters the room, looking flustered when he sees Yukari in the room. Not long after his arrival, someone knocks on the door.

"Excuse me," Youichi says. Yukari and Zono turn to look at him, "Zono. Ichikawa."

"Kuramochi. Come," Kataoka waves him over. The three of them stand in front of the head coach, "I think you've already guessed why I called you here. I've decided that Miyuki should be the captain."

"Eh? Miyuki?" Youichi asks.

"What do you think?" Kataoka asks, "I want to hear your honest opinions."

The three second years look at each other. Yukari can see Youichi squeezing his hand in a fist and gritting his teeth, possibly from frustration.

"I don't think he can be the captain Tetsu-san was, but I think he's right for the job," Youichi eventually says, "I haven't reflected on our last game yet. But he's different. He accepts the loss and is looking forward."

"What about you, Maezono-kun?" Rei asks.

"He's been on the roster since he joined, so I'm not sure if he can sympathize with those who don't make the roster. However, he understands baseball and has a lot of influence. He has the most presence on the team. I also thought Miyuki would be the only choice," Zono explains.

"Yukari-chan, how about you?" Rei asks.

"Um… isn't it a little bit unfair to ask for Ichikawa's opinion?" Zono asks, "I mean, they're dating, so…"

"You think I might be biased," Yukari finishes his sentence. Zono and Youichi, who shares Zono's sentiment, look away, "I see where you're coming from, but he's been on this team almost as long as we've been dating. Have you ever seen me treating him any differently during practice?"

Zono and Youichi don't answer her rhetorical question.

"I don't care if he's my boyfriend or not. If I think he's not fit to be captain, I'll say so," Yukari says, "Having said that, I feel that what Youichi-kun and Zono said are all true," she takes a deep breath and says, "Kazuya is troublesome."

Zono and Youichi look at Yukari with confused looks.

"His personality sucks, and he doesn't have a filter. I honestly feel that he will have a hard time with gaining everyone's trust and respect. I mean, he practically has no friends."

 _Are you really Miyuki's girlfriend…?_ Zono and Youichi wonders.

"But nobody leads like he does. His baseball sense is second to none. Not to mention he actually doesn't mind getting hated for the sake of the team's progress. As twisted as it sounds, he's _used_ to it," Yukari looks at Kataoka, "It's a hundred years too early for him to be the leader that Tetsu-san was, but he doesn't have to be like Tetsu-san. I believe he can lead this team in his own way."

"Okay," Kataoka says, "I'll let Miyuki know. However, I have some concerns," Kataoka says, "He'll play an important role in batting, and as a catcher, he needs to keep the pitchers in check. Miyuki's going to have a lot on his shoulders. It's up to the three of you to support him."

xXx

"Some went home, and some stayed, but all fifty-nine first and second years are back," Rei explains to the head coach during their first practice as the new team. Yukari stands in front of the first and second year players who are lined up in front of the head coach and staffs.

"I'm sure you guys have learned a lot already, but I've never had anyone grow as much as the third years who retired," Kataoka starts. Yukari has to agree. Those upperclassmen of hers transformed from the 'hopeless year' into the powerhouse they are, "In every practice, they all showed up with high standards and faced baseball head on. That's what made the difference. It is my failure as the coach that they couldn't go to Koshien. Never forget how it feels to lose."

"YES, SIR!"

"Then, a word from the new captain, please," Rei says. Kazuya then steps forward and stands in front of the team. Yukari's eyes widen slightly when she realizes that he looks _nervous_.

"Well…" Kazuya starts. He then turns to look at Rei, Oota, and Yukari, "What should I say?"

"Anything! Just a few words!" Oota says.

"Is he nervous?"

"Keep it together, leader-in-training!"

 _The hell…? Apparently the great, confident Miyuki Kazuya can get nervous too…_ Yukari thinks as she tries her hardest to cover her laughter, but she knows Kazuya can hear it, judging by his pout.

Kazuya rubs the back of his head out of nerves, "Well, then… uh… Honestly, I'm still a little unsure about this, but here goes nothing."

"Your voice is small!" Yukari scoffs out a laugh at Sawamura's shout. She shakes her head in amusement. _Well, this is new. I don't think I've ever seen him this nervous before; not even when he confessed to me._

Kazuya sighs and straightens up. He raises his voice and says, "I don't think I'll ever be able to forget the tournament final," much to the players' astonishment, "I learned about my weaknesses, and I learned how strong the opponent was. Most importantly, I discovered how scary baseball is."

 _Kazuya…_ Yukari thinks as she watches her boyfriend from the side.

"It's unfortunate for the third years who've retired, but we have another year to set the records straight. I personally want to see results. I want to be greedy about winning."

Yukari smirks at Kazuya, who exudes determination. She hears a small clap from Sawamura, "You said it without fumbling!"

"To do that," Kazuya continues, "I'm not gonna mince my words, so keep that in mind," he grins when he sees the shocked look on the players' faces, "What's that? Yuka-chan has never held back with you guys, so don't expect me to lick your wounds! In fact, I'll pour salt on them!" he ignores everyone's protests and says, "Let's start with the warm up!"

"Can you talk louder?!" Zono shouts. Kazuya glares at him. Yukari nods in approval. _Good job, Zono._

When Yukari turns to look at Kazuya, she swears he's blushing. _I've never seen him like this…_ "Let's start with the warm up!" he then starts to run, followed by the other players, "Let's be loud!"

"Greedy about winning…" Rei starts, "I know where he's coming from. Have you always been thinking about making him captain?" she asks the head coach.

"Yeah," Kataoka answers, "Yuuki strongly recommended him too."

Yukari's eyes widen at this piece of information. _Tetsu-san did?_

"Did he now…?" Oota wonders.

"Ichikawa," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir?"

"Help the managers with the drinks and towels. They'll be done warming up soon," Kataoka says. Yukari feels that he's trying to dismiss her, but she doesn't say anything.

"I understand. Excuse me," Yukari says as she bows at the head coach, Oota, and Rei, and turns to help the managers.

xXx

After she's done helping out the managers, Yukari stops by the bullpen, where Kariba Wataru – a first year catcher –, Hiroshi, and Kazuya are catching for Furuya, Sawamura, and Nori respectively. She's a bit worried about Nori. He seems to have been struggling to move on from the loss.

When she arrives at the bullpen, Nori leaves it, saying that he wants to run some more. She eyes him with worry, but doesn't say anything.

"Is Nori gonna be okay?" Hiroshi wonders, "He probably can't get over the fact that he gave up hits, and feels responsible for ending the third years' summer early."

"The walk he gave to the third batter hurt, but he was pitching aggressively to win. No one blames him for his pitching," Kazuya says.

"Well, of course," Hiroshi says.

"It's up to him to get over it," Kazuya says, "We can't do anything about it."

"Besides," Yukari adds as she enters the bullpen, "If there's really anyone to blame, it's all of us. It was a team effort, and if there's anyone who has to take responsibility of it, it's the whole team," she says.

"I-Ichikawa, you say the cruelest things with the straightest face…" Hiroshi says.

"Well, then prove me wrong by being better," Yukari says. That has always been her M.O. since joining the team: piss off the hot-headed idiots so that they'll get better just to prove her wrong. So far, she has been proven wrong and she doesn't mind it one bit.

"I guess there's a reason why you guys are a great match…" Hiroshi says under his breath.

"Hmm? Did you say something, Hiroshi-kun?"

"Nothing," Hiroshi says immediately.

"How can you be so cold like that?"

Yukari and Kazuya turn to look out of the bullpen.

"Miyauchi-san… Sakai-san…" Yukari says when she sees the two third year players.

"Not everyone is as strong as you," Miyauchi continues, "You have to help him get over it, new captain!"

Both third years then leave the bullpen. Yukari eyes Kazuya on the corner of her eye and sees him looking at his feet. _Kazuya…_

Not long after, the head coach calls everyone into the field to start fielding practice. As usual, Kataoka is batting toward one base, and then they have to throw it to another base. When she sees the dugout, apparently Miyauchi and Sakai aren't the only third years there. Kusunoki Fumiya, the former shortstop and third base coach, and Kadota are there too.

Yukari watches the practice and notices that Kazuya seems distracted. When Kataoka hits the ball lightly for him to catch, he manages to catch the ball, but his throw to Kanemaru at third base is way off, which is unusual. She bites her lower lip in worry. _He's so out of it…_

"S-Sorry!" Kazuya calls out.

"Oi, oi, what's wrong, Captain?!" Zono asks, "Get your head in the game!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Leader, fired already?!" Sawamura shouts. From the dugout, Yukari can practically feel Miyauchi glaring at Kazuya. She sighs. She knows that the third year catcher doesn't particularly like Kazuya for reasons that she doesn't care to know, so she's not sure if the advice he had given Kazuya earlier was sincere or laced with mockery.

 _But there's no one else fit for the job_ , Yukari thinks. _Kazuya, it's going to be a bumpy ride, but I believe that you can make it. Tetsu-san and Kantoku do too._

xXx

After the afternoon practice is done, the players all filter out of the field to either take a bath or practice again in the indoor practice building. Yukari goes to the girls' bathhouse and takes a bath. After she's done, she is walking toward the cafeteria to help out for dinner when someone grabs her hand and drags her to the back of the dorm. Her body is then held within the culprit's arms, and Yukari sighs.

"Can't you just ask me to come with you like a normal person?" Yukari asks.

"But normal is overrated," Kazuya says as he holds Yukari in his arms, "I miss you, Yuka-chan."

Yukari misses him too. Some people might think it's weird, since they still see each other all the time. They have all the opportunity to talk to each other, but they don't. They have just been leaving each other to their own business. But this actually happens from time to time. They would only have minimal contact with each other and not talk even though they're sitting next to each other.

But there is no way she'll admit to him that she misses him. Instead, she wraps her arms around Kazuya's torso just as tightly.

"I guess I should congratulate you for becoming captain," Yukari says as she looks up at Kazuya, "So congratulations, Captain. Do your job well, okay?" she says with a smirk. She frowns a little when he doesn't say anything. Instead, he buries his face in her neck, "…Kazuya?"

"Sorry… I guess it just hasn't really sunk in yet," Kazuya says, "I'm the captain of this team… people are expecting a lot out of me."

Yukari sighs as she runs her fingers through Kazuya's soft brown locks, "Of course they are. But it's okay. Just do what you think needs to be done. Do it at your own pace, and if people don't understand that, then screw them. They've been with you for almost two years; they should've known better by now."

Kazuya chuckles as he pulls his head away from Yukari's neck, but his arms are still around his girlfriend's body, "I seriously love you, Yuka-chan."

Yukari blushes at the sudden confession, "W-What the hell is that, all of a sudden…?"

Kazuya laughs as he pulls Yukari's face into his chest and buries his nose in her hair. He takes a deep breath and exhales it, "What did I do to deserve you?"

Yukari bites her lower lip. She hides her face in Kazuya's broad chest and inhales his scent, "…you saved me from myself. That's what you did."

Yukari thought that he couldn't hear that, but he can; loud and clear. He kissed the top of Yukari's head and says, "Thank you, Yuka-chan."

She doesn't know why he's thanking her, but she doesn't question him. She also doesn't protest when he leads her face by her chin toward his. She only closes her eyes obediently as his lips land over hers. She grabs the back of his shirt tightly as he runs his fingers through her hair after he sneakily undid her ponytail.

He pulls away first and plays with her hair with a soft smile, "I still don't understand why you never put your hair down; you look gorgeous like this."

Yukari shakes her head, blushing a little at the smile Kazuya is giving her, "It's hot. And it doesn't make me feel any warmer during winter."

"Then why keep it long?" Kazuya asks.

"…Otou-san doesn't like it when I cut my hair above my shoulders," Yukari says with a pout. Kazuya laughs as he bumps his forehead against hers.

"You really adore your dad, don't you?" Kazuya says with a huge grin on his face, "Well, long hair or short hair… I don't mind either. You're still Yuka-chan," he says as he pecks Yukari's lips. He pulls away from her and returns her hairband. Yukari accepts it and starts to tie her hair back up, "By the way, we kinda have more free time than usual, don't we?" Kazuya asks.

"I guess… practice isn't going to be as intense as before. We have a couple of scrimmages before the fall tournament starts, though," Yukari answers.

"Go on a date with me, then."

Yukari's eyes widen at the sudden proposition, "…a date?"

Since both of them are so busy with their respective duties in the baseball team, Kazuya and Yukari hardly go on dates. Their first – and so far only – date consisted of them watching a pro baseball game, but when she told the managers about it – after much pressing and begging – they didn't think it was romantic enough to be called a date. Yukari didn't care; they had a great time, and that was what mattered to Yukari.

"…but we won't have much time, you know. I did say that practice isn't going to be like before the tournament, but there's still practice," Yukari says.

"We don't have to go anywhere far," Kazuya then leans down until his mouth is parallel to Yukari's ear and then he whispers, "I just wanna be alone with you."

Yukari blushes as she flinches away from Kazuya, "That tickles…"

"Heeh…?" Kazuya smiles mischievously, "So you're weak in your ears… noted."

"Why do we have to be alone anyway?" Yukari asks as she fans her face, trying to bring down the temperature.

"Oh, so you don't mind if people see us making out?" Kazuya asks with a mock innocent look on his face.

Yukari hits Kazuya's head with her hand, "Pervert!"

Kazuya laughs, "I'm kidding! It's just been a while since we went out. It would be a nice change of pace."

Yukari sighs, "Fine. Where are we going?"

"I know a good place. Just leave it to me. Can you prepare some food? Nothing too heavy; we'll probably be back right before dinner," Kazuya asks, Yukari frowns doubtfully at him, and he laughs, "Trust me! Practice ends at around 3 PM, right? Just meet me outside of the gate fifteen minutes after practice ends. Oh, and I want you to let your hair down all day tomorrow."

xXx

When Yukari arrives at practice the next day, she rolls her eyes when people are gaping at her. She only lets her mid-back length hair loose, for God's sakes. It's not like she got plastic surgery or anything alarming like that. She glares at her boyfriend when she sees him looking smug.

She can't really blame them for being shocked. For as long as she can remember, she has never gone to practice with her hair loose. It's always in some kind of ponytail, or when she has free time on her hands, a pigtail or even a braid. But this time, she only uses three white hairclips to hold her bangs away from her eyes.

Even after the head coach has opened the practice, some of the players are still sneaking a look at her. Rei, who notices this, looks at her in amusement.

"Looking for a change of pace, Yukari-chan?" Rei asks.

"…not really," Yukari answers as she fans her already sweating face.

"Why aren't you in your usual ponytail, then?" Rei asks.

Yukari blushes and says, "…no reason."

Rei nods in understanding, "Ah… I guess he would be curious as to how you'd look with your hair loose. Ever since you two met, you've always had your hair up."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yukari says as she walks away to hide her embarrassment, much to Rei's amusement, "If you have time to look this way, then you have time to practice!" she says with a slightly raised voice so everyone who is currently looking at her can hear.

"Heeh… I don't think I've ever seen you like this, Yukari."

"You actually look less like a demon this way, Ichikawa!"

"It's a nice change."

"Uga! You look pretty, Ichikawa-chan."

"Welcome back, everyone," Yukari says with a small sigh as she turns to look at her upperclassmen, "And thank you, Masuko-san."

"So why the sudden change?" Chris asks, "Got a date?"

Yukari's cheeks immediately turn red at his accuracy. _Damn it, he's good…_ Jun laughs, "What's that?! Is he right?!"

"Don't look so jealous, Jun-san," Yukari says with a smirk.

"Who the hell's jealous?!"

"I didn't think you're the type of girl who'd change so suddenly because of a guy," Ryousuke says.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "It's just for today. Consider this a treat."

"Well, I guess we need to thank Miyuki at some point then," Tanba says, "It suits you, Ichikawa."

Yukari blushes a little. She's not used to getting a lot of compliments about her looks like this, "…thank you, Tanba-san."

"Anyway…" Tetsu starts, "I was wondering about how Miyuki is doing."

"With his captaincy?" Yukari asks. Tetsu nods. She sighs, "Well, it's only been his second day as captain, but he's already faced with some setbacks. The fact that he's the captain of the team hasn't sunk in yet. I'm sure he'll manage, but I think it will take time."

Jun clicks his tongue, "I still don't think he's fit to be captain."

"He seemed a little out of it yesterday," Ryousuke says, "I can't believe he made a throwing error. That was unusual."

"You saw that, huh…?" Yukari wonders, "Well, what's done is done. If Kantoku deems him unfit, then I'm sure he'd take him off his post immediately. But it's too soon to tell."

"I'm sure he can do it," Tetsu says, "If it's Miyuki, he can do it. He has to do it. He's gonna have a lot in his plate, but we've lost to the team led by a guy of that caliber."

Yukari nods as she remembers Harada from Inajitsu, who also had the same responsibilities that Kazuya does now. She wonders how he manages to do it, on top of keeping Narumiya on a leash. Kazuya might have more on his plate than Harada though, having to keep an eye on three very different pitchers at once. But if Harada can do it, then that means it's not impossible for Kazuya to do.

"Do your best to support him, Ichikawa," Chris says, "Because he's going to need it."

Yukari eyes Kazuya in the field from her spot. She nods and says, "I understand."

* * *

 **In tomorrow's chapter, we're going to pull away from the baseball drama for a bit and take a look at Yukari and Kazuya's relationship history, so I hope you guys will look forward to it!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Let me warn you; this is** _ **really**_ **long and there's no breaks. This is the longest chapter and it's purely about Yukari and Kazuya's relationship history. Enjoy~!**

* * *

After the practice has ended, Yukari doesn't take long to get ready. She'll never admit it out loud, but she's excited. She's even dressed up a little bit. She doesn't often wear skirts other than her school uniform skirt, but it wasn't by choice. She spends most of her free time at the dorms, where it just feels more comfortable to wear pants instead of skirts. She does like wearing skirts and dresses; she just doesn't have a lot of opportunity to.

This time, she's wearing a pale yellow sundress that stops just below her knees, denim jacket, brown belt, and brown low-heeled ankle strap pumps. She's holding a small brown handbag with their food inside. She wonders where they're going. She hopes that she's neither too casual nor dressy for wherever they're going.

Yukari hears footsteps running toward her and a voice saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting~!"

When she turns around, Kazuya stops in his tracks. Yukari is relieved to see him looking casual in his black and white stripe shirt with gray hoodie and black jacket, brown pants, and brown shoes. She frowns when he doesn't say anything; he's just looking at her with wide eyes.

"…Kazuya?"

Kazuya seems to have snapped out of whatever daydream he was having and says, "Let's go," as he practically drags Yukari away. He's not walking too fast for Yukari to keep up with him, but he's still speed walking away from the dorms. After they turn around the corner, he slows down. Yukari doesn't question him and just follows him.

After walking for around ten minutes, Kazuya stops at a slope overlooking a baseball field, where a bunch of what seems to be elementary school children are playing. Yukari can't help but smile at the sight.

"We're here," Kazuya says.

Yukari smirks, "Not bad."

"Let's take a closer look," Kazuya says. She follows him down the stairs and then they walk toward the empty bleachers. Before Yukari can sit down, Kazuya takes off his outer black jacket and lays it down on the bleacher for her to sit on. She smiles at him gratefully and sits over it while he takes a seat beside her, "I'm sorry about earlier," he says sheepishly.

"It's okay, but… what's wrong?" Yukari wonders if it's the late afternoon sun or Kazuya is really blushing. He covers his mouth with the back of his hand as he avoids looking at Yukari.

"You just… you look _really_ cute right now… I don't want to let anyone else see you like this," it's now Yukari's turn to blush, "I mean, when you came into practice with your hair loose, I thought I was gonna lose it, especially when some of the other guys started swooning over you…" he then rubs the back of his neck, "I didn't think I was this possessive. Sorry if it creeps you out."

"…not really," Yukari says, "I don't mind."

The two of them avoid each other's eyes as to not let the other see their blushing face as they try to compose themselves.

"So!" Kazuya says loudly, trying to break the silence. He is looking at Yukari – or more specifically, her bag – expectantly, "What did you make?"

Yukari rolls her eyes as she opens her bag and pulls out two bento boxes. One of them is filled with sandwiches and the other is filled with freshly cut fruits.

"Whoa, it looks good! And of course the other one is filled with fruits," Kazuya says with a smirk as he takes one of the sandwiches, " _Itadakimasu_!" he says before taking a big bite. Yukari chuckles when he has a very content look in his face as he's chewing. They eat as they watch the elementary school boys play baseball.

"They're actually not bad," Yukari says with a small smirk.

"That kid in second base kind of reminds me of Ryousuke-san," Kazuya says. Yukari laughs.

"I know," Yukari says, "He's so small, but he plays so well."

"Man, I remember when I was in junior high… I was so good, the upperclassmen tried to bully me out of the team," Kazuya says with a smug look on his face.

"When it comes out of your own mouth, it loses its appeal," Yukari says, rolling her eyes. Kazuya laughs.

"Remembering junior high reminds me of our first meeting…" Kazuya says, "I wanted to track you down, you know."

"Eh?"

"I told you, didn't I? I think I was already half in love with you after we met. I knew that I can meet you again if I go to Seidou, but I felt like I couldn't wait for two years to meet you again. But I was too preoccupied by baseball, school, and…" he chuckles, "Meeting Mei made my life a lot busier, let me tell you that."

Yukari chuckles, "I think I can imagine."

"But like I said… the reason why I wanted to go to Seidou instead of following Mei to Inajitsu… not only to defeat them, but also because I wanted to meet you again," Kazuya says. He then laughs, "Do you remember when we first met in Seidou?"

Yukari smiles, "Of course I do."

 _It's the first day of baseball practice, and in two days, Yukari will officially become a Seidou student. Her parents have given her permission to move to the dorms before the entrance ceremony because there's a baseball practice before it. She moved in a day earlier than any of the new players._

 _As usual, Yukari stands in front of the two rows of new first year players as part of the staff with Kataoka, Rei, and Oota. She can feel the usual confused looks that the new players give her. She can see Kuramochi Youichi, a player that she helped Rei scout. From what she remembered, he used to be quite the troublemaker. She hopes that he's turned a new leaf, because he's actually a great player. At least his hair isn't blond like when she first saw him._

" _Ichikawa Yukari. First year. Manager and trainer-in-training. Nice to meet you," Yukari says as an introduction, ending it with a bow._

 _The head coach then orders the new first year players to introduce themselves and the position they want. When the player standing on the most left of the front row is finished introducing himself, she notices something moving in the corner of her eyes. She narrows her eyes when she sees someone bespectacled running soundlessly toward the left end of the back row. Because everyone's attention is on the one on the right end of that row, nobody notices him._

 _But Yukari does. And she knows who he is._

 _He's Miyuki Kazuya, the former catcher of Edogawa Senior League who was the first player she helped scout before she officially became Seidou's assistant scout. He's the catcher who got bested by Takigawa Chris Yuu, another catcher she helped recruit, in a match that actually made her want to go back to baseball. Miyuki Kazuya is the catcher who plays just like she used to and made her feel excited about baseball again._

 _Yukari bites her lower lip. The fact that he's enrolling that year slipped her mind. With his skills, there was actually a possibility that Miyuki might have been invited to another school, but evidently he chose to go to Seidou. She is reluctant to interact with him, considering the last words he said to her._

"Get ready, because I'm gonna remind you just how fun baseball is so those eyes don't stop shining!"

 _Meeting someone who can read her so easily even though they've just met unnerves her. She doesn't want to have anything to do with him, because he actually made her kind of uneasy. It felt like the walls she worked hard to build started to crumble steadily the moment he set his eyes on her._

 _Yukari sighs as Kataoka dismisses the line and the players all start their warm up. She tries to avoid Miyuki throughout the practice, but somehow her eyes always manage to find him. More than once do their eyes meet, but she immediately looks away every time they do._

 _Yukari tries to walk faster toward the cafeteria so she doesn't have to deal with Miyuki, but he's one step ahead of her. Instead of helping the others with the equipment, he's waiting for her near the field gate._

" _I finally found you… Ichikawa Yukari," Miyuki says with a smirk._

 _Yukari sighs, "What is it?"_

" _Do you remember me?" Miyuki asks as he approaches Yukari. She unconsciously takes one step back. One thing that she notices is that he's grown taller. She remembers him being shorter than her when they were in first year of junior high, but the growth spurt hit him well. She now has to look up to see his face._

 _Yukari bites her lower lip. There's no way she can say that yes, she remembers him; no matter how much she wants to forget him (she doesn't), she'll never be able to. Instead, she says, "Do I have a reason to?"_

 _Much to Yukari's shock and confusion, instead of flinching and taking a step back away from her, which is the usual reaction she gets from her sharp words, Miyuki laughs out loud, "So cold! You're seriously interesting!" he then composes himself and clears his throat, "I'm Miyuki Kazuya. I'll be troubling you for the next three years. Please take care of me!"_

" _Ah… I remember you…" Yukari starts. Miyuki's eyes light up, "You're the one who was late earlier," She tries to school her amusement when he flinches. She dumbs down a small feeling of guilt when his face falls in disappointment, "Don't worry; I'm not going to tell Kataoka-kantoku. But the next time you're late, he's going to know."_

 _Miyuki perks up quicker than Yukari thought. He smiles at her and says, "Well, I guess that's better than nothing! Thanks, Yuka-chan!"_

"' _Y-Yuka-chan'…?" Yukari's eyes widen at the nickname, "O-Oi, don't just randomly give someone you just met a nickname…!"_

" _Why not? It's not like this is the first time we've met," Miyuki says with a smirk, "See you later, Yuka-chan~"_

 _In her three plus years in Seidou, nobody manages to make her lose her cool. At least not until Miyuki Kazuya comes around._

"You wouldn't admit it, but you remembered me, didn't you?" Kazuya asks.

Yukari sighs, "Of course I do," she looks at Kazuya, "There's no way I could forget you. You know why."

Kazuya gets so taken aback by her honesty that he blushes. He rubs the back of his neck, "I was so excited to get into Seidou. I remember searching for you from class to class just so I know where to bug you."

"I only remember that because that got Sachi talking to me," Yukari says, "So I guess I have to thank you for actually starting our friendship."

 _Yukari knows that her reason to avoid Miyuki might be a little unconventional, but she doesn't care. She wishes to have a normal, quiet high school life, but with Miyuki around, it doesn't seem likely. She has a feeling that he's going to make her life even harder, especially if he knows how big of a role he has in her life. Even without knowing that fact, Miyuki is already slowly becoming a nuisance to her._

 _He starts annoying her right after the entrance ceremony._

" _I finally found you!"_

 _Yukari rolls her eyes as she ignores Miyuki, who is walking into the classroom nonchalantly as though he belongs to that class toward Yukari._

" _I've been looking all around for you! I mean, you weren't in my class, and then I went to classes A and C, and now I find you here! You must be pretty smart if you're in the college prep class, Yuka-chan!" Miyuki says, "Man, you're pretty, you're smart, and you like baseball too! You must have a lot of admirers!"_

 _She wants to remind him of her sharp tongue, which is the biggest reason why people avoid her, but she holds back._ If I ignore him, he'll stop and leave sooner, _she thinks. But surprisingly, when Yukari doesn't respond to him, he doesn't give up. In fact, he seems to try even harder to get a reaction out of her. He keeps bugging her until the bell rings._

" _See you at practice, Yuka-chan!" Miyuki says as he leaves the classroom. When she can no longer see him, Yukari heaves a deep sigh of relief. She doesn't know just listening to someone talk can be so tiring._

" _He's kinda like a hurricane, isn't he?"_

 _Yukari turns to look at the person sitting on the desk next to her and sees a girl with low pigtails, "That's an understatement. I can already tell he's going to be really annoying."_

 _The girl laughs in sympathy. She then offers Yukari her hand, "Umemoto Sachiko. He said that you like baseball, so I assume you're gonna apply to be a manager on the team? I'm going to apply as manager too, so I guess we'll be working together!"_

 _Yukari shakes her hand, "Ichikawa Yukari. And I'm already on the team."_

" _Seriously?! I thought they've only started accepting application today?!"_

" _It is. But let's just say that this school's baseball team and I go way back."_

 _They continue conversing until their slightly late homeroom teacher enters the classroom._

Yukari rolls her eyes and sighs in exasperation, "You were such a menace. Still are."

"Oh, come on, you love me!"

Yukari shrugs, "Believe whatever you want," she says with a smirk, "I have to applaud your tenacity, though. Most people would give up after I ignore them for a long time. Hell, most people won't even talk to me again after they find out how cold and blunt I am. But not you."

"When I set my eyes on something, it's hard for me to let it go," Kazuya says, "I just really wanted to get close to you, because you were so interesting. I didn't think I'd fall for you for real, though," he laughs, "When I saw you laughing for the first time… I was a goner."

 _Kazuya can't believe it. He's heard a lot about how hellish the Seidou training camp can be from his upperclassmen, but he didn't think it would be this hard. There's hardly any time to take a single breath, let alone rest. The only thing that keeps him going is seeing Yukari's barely-concealed amusement as she watches over them. He smirks._ She's enjoying this, isn't she? She can be pretty sadistic…

 _At one point in the afternoon, as the sun sets, the managers plus Yukari bring out trays of rice balls for everyone. It doesn't take a genius to guess from which tray Kazuya gets all of his rice balls. He already heard that there's still going to be more training even after the sun is down, so he eats moderately. But not Kuramochi, though._

 _Isashiki Jun, an upperclassman one year above him, is practically shoving rice balls after rice balls to Kuramochi, who eats it with pleasure. He wants to warn him, but they can't exactly defy the upperclassmen, so he keeps silent. Needless to say, Kuramochi's complexion doesn't look good after the last lap around the field._

 _After practice is done, he takes a bath and then walks toward the cafeteria with Kuramochi, who is looking quite pale. On the way there, he can't hold back a smile when he sees a familiar red-haired girl._

" _Yuka-chan~" he calls out. After a couple of weeks of her telling him off for calling her with that nickname, she finally gives up and doesn't stop him anymore. He gives himself a pat on the back for his stubbornness._

" _Great work today, Miyuki-kun, Youichi-kun," Yukari says. Kazuya pouts a little. He still doesn't understand why she calls him by his surname while their fellow first years in the team gets called by their given name or their nickname, like Nori and Zono, "Youichi-kun, you okay? You look kinda pale."_

" _Man, I didn't know it would be this harsh," Kuramochi says, "I don't feel so good…"_

 _When Kuramochi throws up, instead of being grossed out, Yukari actually laughs out loud. Kazuya's eyes widen when he hears her laughter. Her eyes are shut because of the laughter, but when she opens them, he is dazed when he sees the pure mirth in her beautiful green eyes. He didn't think it was possible for those eyes to grow any brighter, but he's being proven wrong. He can hear them talking, but he's not focused on the content of the conversation; he's too caught up by her green eyes, shining with amusement._

 _He only snaps out of it when he realizes that Yukari is looking at him weirdly._

"… _Miyuki-kun?"_

 _Kazuya blinks and clears his throat to snap himself out of his reverie, "W-What?"_

" _Dinner? Youichi-kun said he needs some time," Yukari asks._

" _Oh, uh… yeah, let's go," Kazuya says, "See you later, Kuramochi."_

 _Kazuya doesn't see it, but Kuramochi is smirking at the two of them as he sees something change between the two of them._

"I really love your eyes, Yuka-chan," Kazuya confesses, "They're like all shades of green, depending on your mood. When you're mad, they're this deep, forest green. When you're happy, it's my favorite shade; they go light green. When you're sad, they turn into this… dull looking green. That's the first shade of your eyes I've ever seen, and to this day, I still don't like that shade."

Yukari blushes at his words.

"Those eyes of yours actually haunted me for a while since we first met," Kazuya admits, "I kept seeing them in my dream in my least favorite shade. From then, I swore to myself that I will never let that shade appear from your eyes ever again. If I can help it, I want to only see my favorite light green eyes."

Yukari hides her blush behind the curtain of her hair as she turns away from Kazuya. She didn't know that; both the fact that Kazuya loves her eyes so much and that the color of her eyes reflect her mood.

"I remember the first time I saw you cry… I was seriously at a loss. Your eyes looked really dull, but I didn't know what to do to make them bright again… I couldn't remember being so helpless. I just remember thinking that you might want to cry and you might need someone to be with you," Kazuya says.

 _If Kazuya's eyes could go any wider, they would. He widened his eyes when he saw Chris falling to the ground, clutching his shoulder in pain. But when he sees a tear running down Yukari's cheek as she tries – and fails – to compose herself, he's doubly taken aback. He watches as she shakily checks his shoulder, harshly wiping her tears for once in a while. They crowd around Chris and Yukari until Oota returns to the field, saying that they are ready to go to the hospital. Yukari goes with them._

 _That night, the atmosphere around the cafeteria is gloomy as the baseball team waits for the people in the hospital to return. When the head coach enters the cafeteria, followed by Rei, Oota, and Yukari, everyone's focus is on them. But Kazuya is more focused on Yukari. He doesn't like the fact that she is frowning._

 _When Kataoka told everyone that the doctor told them that Chris' injury might force him to stop playing baseball, Kazuya's eyes widen; not only at the news, but also at Yukari's expression. She looks as though she is seconds away from crying, and he feels like he's going to cry with or for her. After the announcement is over, everyone returns to their meal, but the atmosphere doesn't change. If anything, it just got even darker._

 _After he's done eating, Kazuya walks up the stairs and finds Yukari walking down. When their eyes meet, they both widen their eyes. She immediately looks away. When Kazuya catches sight of her teary eyes, he grits his teeth as he makes a decision. He grabs her by her wrist and practically drags her toward his room. It may not be the best place, but he knows that they're going to need some privacy._

" _M-Miyuki-kun? Where are we going?" Yukari asks as she tries to break free from his grip. Kazuya doesn't answer; he only tightens his grip on her wrist, enough to keep her with him but not enough to hurt her._

 _When the door to his room is closed, he immediately pulls Yukari into his arms._

 _Unsurprisingly, she starts to struggle, "M-Miyuki-kun, let me go…!"_

" _Cry," he simply says. At that word, Yukari stops struggling, "Don't hold back. Just cry. Nobody's watching; not even me," he says._

 _He then waits. Even if she pushes him away, he doesn't care. He doesn't know why, but he knows that she needs this. He knows just how much of a private person she is, but right now, he knows that she needs someone with her. He just knows that while she needs her privacy, she doesn't want to be alone right now._

 _When she starts to silently sob, he starts to pet her red hair. He relaxes in relief when he feels her hand grabbing tightly onto his shirt._

"When you actually started to cry, I was relieved. I guess I felt that you trusted me enough to actually cry in front of me," Kazuya says.

"I was relieved too," Yukari admits, "I was surprised that you knew what I needed, but I'm glad you did that. For once, being so easily read by you didn't make me uncomfortable."

"Then I'm glad," Kazuya says, "Come to think of it; we started dating around the time before the regional tournament last year, didn't we? We didn't get to do anything to celebrate our one year anniversary."

"Well, it couldn't be helped; we were too busy worrying about Tanba-san being injured," Yukari says.

"Is it okay? I thought girls make a big deal out of anniversaries."

"Keeping tabs on those kinds of things is troublesome," Yukari says, "Actually, I think it deserves a celebration. I can't believe I managed to tolerate you for a full year. That's an achievement in and on itself."

Kazuya laughs, "Well, congratulations. I'll be bothering you for more years to come, so prepare yourself."

Yukari smirks at him, "Do your worst," She tries to dumb down her blush as she realizes the gravity of his words. She doesn't know that Kazuya is doing the same.

"We fought pretty seriously before we started dating, remember that?" Kazuya says, "It was something else, our first fight."

"It was ridiculous, that's what it was," Yukari says, "I can't believe we fought over something so dumb…"

"I guess I should thank Oomae-san for playing a passive role in bringing us together," Kazuya says.

"You do that," Yukari says with a smirk.

 _Seidou has just finished a scrimmage against Ichidaisan High. It's Miyuki's first scrimmage in the first string, as he got into the roster replacing Chris as the starting catcher, and they lost. It's also the new first string's first loss, which makes it Miyuki and Youichi's first loss. She can see the frustration in their faces, especially Miyuki's, who, in her opinion, played the biggest role in their loss since Ichidaisan's captain, Oomae Takahiro managed to read his calls perfectly in the last inning._

 _When she scans the field, she catches her cousin, Takahiro's eyes. She smiles at him as they approach each other._

" _Nice game, Takahiro-san," Yukari says._

" _You too," Takahiro says._

" _I wouldn't say that."_

 _Takahiro winces, "Aren't you being too harsh on them? It's a new team, right?"_

" _New or old, who cares. They suck."_

 _Takahiro chuckles sympathetically, "By the way, is that the catcher that's replacing Takigawa for now?"_

" _Yeah, he's a first year like me," Yukari says._

" _He's good," Takahiro says, "_ Really _good. If he's this good when he's in his first year, I'd hate to see how good he'll be when he's in third year."_

" _It's a good thing he's on our side, then."_

" _He reminds me of you," Takahiro admits. Yukari's eyes widen._

"… _what do you mean?" Yukari asks._

" _His plays remind me of yours. He's just as aggressive as you," Takahiro then smirks at her, "And just as predictable."_

 _Yukari sighs, "You can only predict my moves because we've been playing together since we were kids. I can't believe you can predict his moves because his plays are similar to mine. We haven't even played together for a long time."_

" _There's no way I can forget ever playing with you," Takahiro says as he pats Yukari's head._

" _Well, thanks to you reading him like an open book, we lost pretty embarrassingly," Yukari sighs._

" _Cut him some slack, Yukari. He'll grow better, I'm sure of it," Takahiro says._

" _Oomae boy, let's go!" Tahara calls out._

" _That's my call," Takahiro says, "Are you going home for Kawanomu-ossan's birthday?"_

" _I hope I can," Yukari says, "Why?"_

" _My parents have been talking about visiting. They've missed you," Takahiro says with a smile._

" _I miss them too," Yukari replies with a smile of her own, "I'll see what I can do."_

" _See you later, Yukari!" Takahiro shouts his goodbye as he waves at her and runs toward the bus. Yukari replies him with a wave of her own. She returns to the dugout and finds Miyuki with Youichi cleaning up._

" _Great work today, you two," Yukari says. She sighs when she can see the frustrated look on the two first years, "Let it go. Just be thankful it's not a tournament match."_

" _You say it so easily, Ichikawa, but how would you understand how we feel?" Youichi asks._

" _For your information, this is actually my fourth year with the team," Yukari informs, much to Youichi's shock, "So I've seen this team lose more times than I'd like to. But what I like about everyone in this team is that they don't dwell on their loss; they learn from it. And that's what I expect you guys to do."_

"… _you seem close," Miyuki says._

" _Hmm?"_

" _With that guy from Ichidaisan. You seem close."_

" _Oomae Takahiro, second year. He's the first baseman and third batter. The one who managed to predict almost each and every one of your calls," Yukari says, to which Miyuki flinches. Yukari shrugs, "Yeah, I guess you can say that we're close. What of it?"_

" _What kind of relationship do you have with him?"_

" _It's none of your business, isn't it?"_

"… _well, do the upperclassmen know you've been conspiring with the enemy?"_

 _Yukari narrows her eyes, "What did you say…?"_

" _O-Oi, Miyuki…!"_

" _Did we lose because you've been giving them info about us or something? I mean, I can't think of any other reason why he could read my movements–"_

 _Kazuya's eyes widen when Yukari's hand lands on his cheek, the force of it turning his head to the left harshly. Youichi shakes in his boots when he sees her anger clear in her face._

" _You…" Youichi's eyes widen at Yukari's usage of '_ kisama _' instead of her usual '_ kimi _', "You dare to accuse me of something so dirty? What kind of manager do you think I am? I know you're pissed that you lost, but you have no right to blame your weakness on me."_

 _Yukari steps out of the dugout, leaving some traces of cold air in her wake. She stops and without turning around, says, "And just so you know, Takahiro-san is my cousin. All the upperclassmen already know. And no, we don't exchange data during family functions, so you can sit back and relax."_

 _It's safe to say that dinner that night is not only awkward, but also cold. It's the first time Youichi and Miyuki realize just how right Yukari's nickname is. She really can become an ice princess._

 _After dinner, Yukari leaves the cafeteria to return to her room, but when she reaches the alley between the indoor practice building and the dorms, someone grabs her from behind as they put a hand over her mouth. She struggles as she tries not to panic._

" _Ssh… it's me."_

 _Yukari narrows her eyes as she continues to struggle. Her captor removes his hand from her mouth, "Let me go, Miyuki-kun."_

" _Not until you listen to what I have to say."_

 _Yukari scoffs, "Can't you just ask me to come with you like a normal person?"_

" _With you being this pissed at me? I don't think so."_

" _Whose fault do you think it is?"_

" _Mine," Yukari stops struggling at his admission, "It's my fault, and I'm sorry, Yuka-chan. I shouldn't have accused you of something like that. That was low of me."_

"… _will you let me go, please?" Miyuki lets Yukari go and she turns around, "Say it to my face."_

 _Miyuki heaves a deep sigh before looking straight at Yukari's eyes, "I'm sorry, Yuka-chan. I was a jerk."_

" _Damn right you were," Yukari says as she narrows her eyes, "I mean, I know you were pissed because you lost, but that was uncalled for."_

" _I know. I guess I just…" Miyuki averts his eyes. Yukari raises an eyebrow._

" _You just… what?"_

" _I… ous…"_

" _Huh? Speak properly; I can't hear you, Miyuki-kun."_

" _I was jealous, okay?!"_

 _Yukari's eyes widen; both at his volume and his words._

" _You guys were just so cozy with each other. He called you by your first name. He even pat your hair and you_ smiled _at him… do you know how hard it is to get you to smile?"_

" _B-But… Takahiro-san is…"_

" _Your cousin, yeah, but I didn't know that," Miyuki runs a hand through his hair in frustration, "Geez, I'm so uncool…"_

"… _why would you be jealous anyway…?"_

 _Miyuki scoffs as he looks straight into Yukari's eyes, "Because I like you, Yukari, why else?"_

 _Her eyes widen out of shock; not only because of his confession, but it's the first time he has ever properly called her Yukari instead of Yuka-chan._

" _At first I thought I just wanted to be your friend… but I realize that I'm greedy; simply being your friend won't satisfy me anymore," Miyuki takes a deep breath and straightens up as he looks straight into Yukari's eyes, "Will you be my girlfriend?"_

 _Yukari bites her lower lip in thought. Not to toot her own horn, but this is not the first time someone has confessed to her. There were even some of her upperclassmen in the baseball team who asked her out. It was easy for her to reject them, because there's an unspoken rule within the baseball team that relationship within the team is discouraged for fear that it will affect the players' performances._

 _But somehow with Miyuki, Yukari is hesitating to reject him._

 _Yukari looks away from Miyuki, "…I… I don't know how to respond to that."_

" _It's hard to imagine that you've never been confessed to before."_

" _It's not that, it's… different."_

" _How so?"_

Why _is_ it different? _Yukari wonders, "…it's not important. Besides, we're not allowed to date, you know."_

" _Why not?"_

" _Because you're a player and I'm the team's manager. If something happens and will affect your performance…"_

" _Do you really think I didn't think this through before doing this?" Yukari's eyes widen at Miyuki's words, "I admit that it may seem rushed, but I've been thinking about confessing for a while. I know the risks, and I'm willing to take it. My question is, if you want this too, will you take that risk with me?"_

 _Yukari bites her lower lip. She doesn't actually see the problem with a manager dating a player (or players dating each other, for that fact) as long as it doesn't affect the team in a negative way. In fact, the captain is dating the third year manager. The players she rejected using that excuse doesn't know that Yukari just doesn't like them and she wants to put them down gently, just in case their performance gets affected._

 _But if she accepts Miyuki's confession, she's afraid of losing her credibility as a manager for doing something she's not supposed to._

"… _will you give me some time to think about it?" Yukari finally asks._

 _Miyuki sighs, "Sure. Whatever you want."_

" _Thanks, Miyuki-kun."_

"… _this_ does _mean you forgive me, right?"_

" _Win the next match, and I'll think about it."_

 _In the next practice match with another school, Seidou's first string team wins by a landslide, thanks to the clever calls of their new starting catcher._

"You kept me hanging for so long, Yuka-chan. I kept wondering if you really are sadistic," Kazuya admits.

"And you were infinitely annoying," Yukari says, "We only knew each other for only a couple of months; I didn't think it was enough time for you to really grow feelings for me. Not to mention that intra-squad dating ban."

"But you didn't know that I spent three years just waiting to meet you again," Kazuya says.

"Exactly," Yukari confirms, "And I also didn't realize that the reason why your confession was different than the others is because I've never had someone I like confess to me before."

"So at that time, you already liked me?" Kazuya asks.

"Yeah, but I didn't realize it, and I was way too worried about the consequences," Yukari says. She scoffs out a laugh, "You should thank Sachi for knocking some sense into me."

 _Yukari gets a taste of Miyuki's impatience not long after she forgives him. As promised, because Miyuki manages to bring a win to Seidou after their loss against Ichidaisan, Yukari forgives him for accusing her of giving away the team's secret to Ichidaisan. But Yukari almost immediately regrets her decision. When she hadn't forgiven Miyuki, he avoided her like a plague. Now that he knows he's forgiven, he starts to annoy her again. This time, more so than usual._

" _Hey, hey, Yuka-chan. Are you finally gonna give me your answer?"_

 _She knows that she has received that question for more than five times in the course of the afternoon practice_ alone _. Every time she walks past him, he'd ask the question – in a loud voice, no less. She can feel everyone's questioning look on them. She didn't think he can get even more annoying than he usually are._

 _It's the third day after Miyuki's barrage of question started. Yukari likes to think that one of her best features is her patience, but this time it's wearing thin in an alarming pace. Getting asked the same question at least fifteen times a day apparently can make someone's patience go south fast._

" _Hey, hey, Yuka-chan…"_

" _Fine, Miyuki-kun," Yukari finally snaps._

" _Eh?"_

" _Fine, I'll be your girlfriend. Just please stop with the freaking question. It's annoying."_

" _Seriously?!"_

" _Yes."_

" _Are you sure?"_

" _Yes…"_

" _You won't regret it?"_

" _I'm starting to. Now leave me alone before I change my mind. And don't you dare tell anyone."_

 _Miyuki laughs, "Okay, okay!" he says as he runs toward the field. Yukari sighs and frowns. While she is extremely annoyed by his unending question, she doesn't know if half-heartedly answering his sincere feelings just to shut him up is the right thing to do. In fact, it doesn't make her feel any kind of relief._

But… it's not like I hate him or anything… _Yukari thinks. If she's being perfectly honest, before she knows it, she has grown to enjoy his company. When he avoided her before she forgave him, she finds herself trying to look for him. She actually misses him when he's not around. But if he knows that, she knows that he'll just get a big head and start to annoy her even further._

" _Ah, Yukari! What are you doing here?"_

 _Yukari turns around to see her classmate, Umemoto Sachiko, walking toward her. Before she can reach her, however, she trips on air and falls, dropping the bucket of baseball. Yukari rolls her eyes with a sigh as she approaches her, "I keep wondering how a person can be so clumsy. You're something else, Sachi," she remarks as she takes the balls from the ground and deposits them to the bucket._

" _Sorry…" Sachi says as she helps Yukari, "By the way, was that Miyuki-kun you were talking with? Did he ask you that question again?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Geez, Yukari, why don't you take pity on the poor guy? I mean, he_ has _been in love with you for forever…"_

"… _really?"_

" _You can't tell? I knew the second he started to annoy you on that first day of school that he must've has_ some _kind of feelings for you."_

" _But… players aren't supposed to date someone within the team…"_

" _Who cares about that stupid, old rule?" Yukari's eyes widen at Sachi's words, "You can't control when you'll fall for someone and when you'll stop liking them like a lamp switch, Yukari; it's not that simple. You do know that the third year manager, Kanegawa-senpai is dating the captain, right?"_

" _I do, but…"_

" _Then what's stopping you from giving Miyuki-kun an answer?"_

"… _I did answer him," Yukari says as she deposits the last ball into the bucket. Sachi drops the balls she was holding in shock._

" _Seriously?! What did you say?!"_

" _I said yes."_

 _Sachi chuckles, "What's that? Apparently you like him too, don't you?"_

"… _do I, though?"_

" _Eh? What do you mean?"_

" _I… I've never liked someone before, so… I don't know. I know I've told Miyuki-kun that I'd be his girlfriend, but… I don't know why I did that."_

 _Sachi eyes Yukari, who is looking down on the ground, "Yukari, how do you feel about Miyuki-kun? I mean, what do you feel when you're around him?"_

 _Yukari looks up at Sachi and thinks, "I guess… at first he was just annoying because he keeps bugging me and he won't leave me alone. But when he avoided me, I felt kind of lonely. And… I don't know why, but I felt like he understands me really well, so I feel comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _I've never met someone who can read me so easily before. Whenever I feel like getting angry at him, he'll stop annoying me and start a normal conversation. When I was sad, he knew when to stay and when to leave me alone. When I don't want to be disturbed, he'd just simply say hello to me and go on his way… it's like he knows me so well. It makes me uncomfortable."_

" _Why?"_

" _I feel kind of uneasy when someone gets too close to me. The thing is, he doesn't even get too close to me and I already feel like he's staring into my soul. But…"_

" _But?" Sachi asks as she stands up with the bucket. Yukari follows suit._

" _It's uncomfortable, but strangely I don't mind if it's him."_

" _Hmm… you don't mind if it's Miyuki-kun, and only Miyuki-kun?"_

"… _yes?"_

" _That means you like him, Yukari. Think about it."_

I… like Miyuki-kun? _Yukari wonders as she watches Sachi walking away from her. She shakes her head and walks toward the field. She still has a job to do._

"Umemoto can be really wise sometimes," Kazuya snickers, "I'm glad she said that. It even turned out that people had no problem about it, right?"

"Yeah… I guess I was just trying to find excuses not to date you because I've never been in a relationship before," Yukari admits.

"So I'm your first boyfriend?" Kazuya grins and Yukari looks away with a slight blush at his boyish grin, "That makes me kinda happy," he then looks at the sky, "I remembered when we first kissed," he then grins at Yukari, "I couldn't tell which part was your face and which part was your hair; that's how red your face was."

"Shut up…" Yukari says as she rolls her eyes, "Like you weren't blushing yourself when I called you by your name for the first time."

 _Yukari feels weird. She feels like she was back to when Miyuki first came to the school. But instead of avoiding him because she doesn't want to be bothered by him, she's afraid of facing him. She tries her best to act natural, but when Miyuki comes into her peripheral vision, she instinctively escapes somewhere where she can't see him anymore. She still steals looks from afar, but when he looks like he's trying to find her, she hides._

This is weird… I don't like this… _Yukari thinks._ I want to talk to him, but… can I do it when I'm not sure about how I feel for him?

" _Yukari."_

 _Yukari's whole body stiffens in shock when she hears a familiar voice calling her in a different name than usual. She turns around and bites her lip when she sees Miyuki._

" _Miyuki-kun…?" Yukari says in a questioning tone. He hasn't called her Yukari since he confessed, so Yukari is a little unnerved. The look in his face is serious, which is also something she doesn't usually see._

" _Can we talk?" Miyuki asks. Yukari can't make up a good reason not to without Miyuki finding out that she's lying, so instead, she nods. They go to the alley between the indoor practice building and the dorms, both of them silent along the way._

 _Yukari can't lie; she's nervous; which is weird, because she never has a reason to be nervous around Miyuki. She waits until Miyuki starts to speak. She doesn't dare to say anything._

" _You know…" Miyuki starts, "At that time, were you being serious?"_

" _Eh?"_

 _Miyuki turns around and looks at Yukari, "When you said you'd be my girlfriend… were you serious or were you just trying to get me to shut up? I mean, after you agreed to be my girlfriend, you avoided me. You still talk to the other guys in the team, but when I'm around you, you run away. You won't call me by my first name when you call everyone else with their first name – even their nicknames."_

 _Yukari bites her lower lip as she avoids his eyes, "L-Like I said, I didn't want anyone to know… i-it would affect the team's morale…"_

" _Don't give me that crap," Yukari's eyes widen at his harsh tone. He then corners her to a wall. She winces when he slams the wall beside her head, "Please don't look away," Miyuki says, softer than his previous tone; desperate, even. Yukari can't help but do what he wants her to do, "Then how do you_ really _feel about me?"_

 _Yukari's eyes widen. She tries to look away, but something compels her not to._

" _Because I like you, Yukari. I like you a lot. Frankly, I don't give a damn about the no-dating rule; I like you and I want to date you. But if you don't like me, just say it and I'll leave you alone."_

" _Don't," Yukari says before her mind can catch up with her mouth. Miyuki's eyes widen, "Don't… leave me alone…"_

" _Yukari…"_

" _I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to avoid you, I was just… really confused," Yukari admits, "I asked myself the same thing, you know? Did I agree to be your girlfriend just to shut you up or because I really do have feelings for you? If I do have feelings for you, am I ready to break the rule and risk my position in the team to indulge my feelings? I didn't know, because I've never liked someone before," she says, panting after she finished her sentence._

" _Then?" Miyuki asks, "Did you find the answer?"_

 _Yukari closes her eyes and nods, "Yeah, I… I think I did."_

" _And that is…?"_

 _Yukari groans, "Do I have to say it?"_

" _I won't understand if you don't, so yes, you do."_

 _Yukari sighs in resignation before looking at Miyuki straight into his eyes, "I like you too… and… I don't care about the rule; I want to be with you, if you'll have me… Kazuya-kun."_

 _Miyuki – no,_ Kazuya _– blushes at the sound of his name coming out of his girlfriend's mouth. He looks away from her and covers his mouth with one hand, "You… that's unfair."_

 _Yukari smirks even though her cheeks aren't in a dimmer shade of red than Kazuya's, "Now, this is a rare sight."_

" _I can't help it! Catching me off-guard like that… you're dangerous, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he bumps his forehead against Yukari's, "So you're okay with this, right?"_

 _Yukari bites her lower lip, "…yeah."_

" _Are you sure? There's no turning back."_

" _I wouldn't have let you this close to me if I weren't."_

 _Kazuya pulls away and stares into Yukari's eyes. Yukari can see his eyes darting down toward her lips, and she feels her heart beating faster, "…can I kiss you?"_

 _Yukari wants to avoid his eyes, but she can't. His brown orbs are keeping her green ones prisoner, "…do whatever you want," she says as she tries to school her heartbeat. Kazuya smirks at her and leans forward._

 _Even though she has never done this before, turning her head slightly to the right and closing her eyes as he does the same feels as natural as breathing. When their lips touch, Yukari swears that her heart is so close to combusting. It's a simple press of lips, but the effect she feels is in no way simple. It's like she wants to pull away so that her heart can calm down, but at the same time, she doesn't want it to end._

 _After they pull away from each other, Yukari can't hold back the furious blush that adorns her face, especially when she sees Kazuya smirk when he sees how red she becomes. She turns her head to the side to avoid looking at him, but he takes his chance to steal a peck on her red cheeks. She covers the cheek he pecked and turns to glare at him._

" _Y-You…"_

" _You are_ so _adorable, Yuka-chan," Kazuya smirks. His face turns serious, "About Kantoku… don't worry; if you're willing to go through with this, I'll always have your back," he then pulls away, "I'll see you at dinner, okay?" he says as he walks away, waving at her over his shoulder with a huge grin on his face, leaving Yukari a blushing mess._

"You were so cute," Kazuya says with a laugh. After he regains his composure, he smirks at Yukari, "Still are."

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Shut up."

"It felt kinda weird having to hide our relationship from everyone," Kazuya admits, "I mean, it turned out that everyone was already rooting for us to date in the first place."

"I know, they even had a bet on it, didn't they?" Yukari says with a chuckle.

Kazuya laughs, "Kuramochi, that bastard… he's really good at predicting things isn't he?"

"He's always been really observant," Yukari says.

 _Yukari is glad that Kazuya honors her wishes of wanting to hide their relationship from the team, at least until she's ready to tell everyone. She doesn't mind the team members from finding out – hell, even Sachi already knows – but her problem really lies on telling the staff members._

 _Rei was the first person to tell her that relationship within the team is discouraged because the head coach doesn't like it when players get affected by their personal feelings during a game, especially if it will affect the team negatively. Yukari was the one who told her, with confidence, that she will be the last person to date a player._

 _Now, she wants to borrow a time machine and smack her past self._

 _Yukari should've remembered that Kazuya was going to be in her vicinity for three whole years. The second she saw him in Seidou, she should've known better. She shouldn't have thought that he won't affect her in any way. Now, she has to pay for her ignorance._

 _Honestly, Yukari feels bad for Kazuya. She knows that one of the reasons why she covered their relationship – aside from the threat that she might lose her position in the baseball team – is because of her pride. She just doesn't want Rei to say 'I told you so' to her._

 _While Yukari knows that Kazuya doesn't like this predicament, he doesn't show it. Instead, he tries to prove to Yukari that their relationship doesn't and will not affect his plays. Yukari is glad that he plays and acts like he usually does. Yukari also acts like she usually does around Kazuya, careful to call him 'Miyuki-kun' in front of people._

 _But Yukari knows that they can't keep this up forever. Sooner or later, someone is bound to find out and tell the staffs. She would rather have this secret out through her own mouth rather than others'._

" _I'm going to tell Kantoku, Kazuya-kun," Yukari says determinedly one day._

 _Kazuya eyes her to see any sign of hesitation in her eyes, but doesn't find any, "Okay. I'll come with you."_

 _Yukari doesn't mind. As they arrive in front of the coach's room, Yukari knocks on the door with shaking hands. She jumps a bit when Kazuya takes hold of her other hand._

" _Come in."_

 _When they enter the room, neither Kazuya nor Yukari break out of each other's hands. Yukari can see that Rei notices this, but if Kataoka does, he's hiding it well. Oota, not so much._

" _I-Ichikawa, Miyuki… what is the meaning of this?"_

 _Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it, "Kantoku," she looks at Kataoka's eyes through his shades resolutely, "Before anyone else tells you about this…" she eyes Kazuya and he nods, "We would like to tell you ourselves."_

 _The atmosphere in the room is heavy, but Yukari tries her best to keep her eyes on Kataoka. He crosses his arms in front of him and says, "Go ahead."_

" _Thank you," Yukari says before taking a deep breath and exhaling it. When Kazuya squeezes her hand, she squeezes it back, "Kazuya and I are dating."_

 _Kazuya's eyes widen when he realizes that she has dropped the honorifics from his name. He squeezes her hand._

" _I know that to ensure that the players will play their best without getting their personal feelings involved, you discourage relationships within the team… but I am ready to face any consequences you see fit," Yukari says._

" _We both are," Kazuya says. Yukari smiles gratefully at Kazuya. The two of them, Rei, and Oota are eyeing the head coach who is keeping his eyes on Yukari. She is so close to cowering over his stare, but Kazuya keeps squeezing her hand periodically._

"… _just make sure this won't affect the team negatively," Kataoka finally says._

" _Eh?" Yukari and Kazuya's eyes are wide._

" _If you can promise me that, then I won't intervene. Also, Ichikawa, I will not tolerate bias," Kataoka says. Yukari and Kazuya eye each other and smile. They then bow at the head coach._

" _Yes, sir!"_

" _Besides… did you really think you were being subtle?"_

" _Eh?" Yukari and Kazuya straighten up to see the head coach smirking._

" _You must've underestimated Kantoku's observation skills, Yukari-chan, Miyuki-kun," Rei says as she pushes up her glasses with a smirk on her face, "Don't you know that he's the one who found out that Miyazawa-kun and Kanegawa-chan are dating before everyone else?"_

" _He did?!"_

" _Captain and Kanegawa-san are dating?!"_

" _You didn't know?" Yukari asks with a raised eyebrow. Kazuya shakes his head with wide eyes._

" _We let them be because they both managed to maintain their performances even after their relationship started. I trust the two of you to do the same."_

" _Y-Yes, sir!"_

" _Is that all?" Kataoka asks._

" _Yes, sir. You've worked hard," the two of them bow at Kataoka and turn to leave the room._

" _Miyuki."_

" _Yes, sir?"_

" _Your pick-offs have been looking really good these past few matches. Keep up the good work."_

" _Thank you, sir."_

" _I've seen Ichikawa help you with your throws and batting after practice. Don't push yourselves."_

 _Yukari smirks at his words. She really_ did _have underestimated Kataoka's observation skills, "Yes, sir. Please excuse us."_

 _Yukari and Kazuya leave the coach's room with lighter hearts compared to before they went into the room. They walk together toward the cafeteria in silence until Kazuya laughs loudly. Yukari doesn't even ask what he's laughing about as she's too busy laughing herself. When their laughter dies down, they eye each other with mirth in their eyes._

" _I feel like such a fool for worrying so much," Yukari admits with a rueful smile, "I'm sorry for putting you through that, Kazuya."_

 _Kazuya shrugs, "It wasn't a big deal. I'm just glad it's all over and done with."_

" _I'm going to make sure that you never mess up, so that Kantoku won't regret his decision. Prepare yourself," Yukari says with a threatening smirk, "You seem like someone who would mess up if someone pushes the wrong buttons."_

" _I'll prove you wrong," Kazuya says as he steals a kiss on Yukari's cheek, pulling away with a laugh before she can hit him._

" _I KNEW IT!"_

 _Yukari and Kazuya jump at Youichi's sudden voice and the bang of the door opening. They didn't realize that they've been standing in front of the cafeteria door. They can see the whole team looking devastated and Youichi is grinning widely._

" _I knew it! You guys_ are _dating!" Youichi says before turning to look into the cafeteria again, "Jun-san, pay up!"_

" _Damn you, Ichikawa, Miyuki!" Jun curses._

" _Heeh… so they really are dating, huh…? Nice job, Kuramochi," Ryousuke says._

" _The hell…?" Kazuya raises an eyebrow._

 _Yukari is smirking, but Kazuya notices the small twitches on the corner of her lips and her eyebrow. He takes a step away from his girlfriend, "A bet, you say…?"_

" _We've been betting about whether or not you guys are dating! I won! Hyahaha!"_

" _You're not in on this, are you, Kazuya…?"_

" _No! Of course not! I don't know anything!"_

 _The players in the cafeteria start to shudder when they feel the temperature dropping, "Just so you know, everyone is getting triple the exercise menus starting tomorrow until the end of the month," Yukari says with a sinister smile. The players gape when they realize that it's only the 10_ _th_ _day of the month, "And when I say everyone, I mean_ everyone _. Which includes you, Kazuya."_

" _EH?! What did I do?!"_

" _Remember what Kantoku said? He will not tolerate bias. If you don't get the same treatment as everyone, my job is on the line," Yukari says coldly._

" _Damn it…!"_

" _Well, putting that aside…" Tetsu stands up from his seat, "We're happy for you guys."_

 _Jun smirk, "Are you sure you wanna date him, Ichikawa? He's messed up in the head, you know."_

" _Jun-san's right, Ichikawa! But then again you're no better! Hyahaha!"_

" _What's that? You want me to_ quadruple _your training menu, Youichi-kun?" Yukari asks sarcastically._

 _Youichi flinches and growls, "Ichikawa, you devil…!"_

" _She'll be fine," Ryousuke says in confidence, "She's a big girl; she can take care of herself."_

 _Yukari smirks at Ryousuke, "Thanks, Ryou-nii."_

" _On the other hand…" Ryousuke's expression grows dark as he keeps the smile on his face, "If you dare to hurt her, you're in for a world of pain, Miyuki."_

" _UGA! Don't hurt Ichikawa-chan, Miyuki!"_

" _Or you'll get the whole second year players terrorizing you for life," Tanba says with a menacing look in his face. Kazuya cowers._

" _Y-Yes, sir…"_

"I was right in thinking that you get easily ticked when someone pushes the wrong buttons," Yukari says with a smirk, "Shunpei is a provocation expert. He's even worse now," she says with a laugh.

"You guys are a scary combination!" Kazuya says, shuddering slightly. But then he laughs, "But I guess we're no better," he says, "Oh, they're done," Yukari turns to look at the field and realizes that the field is already empty, "It's gotten kinda late, huh?"

"We'd better head back now before the sun sets," Yukari says. They clean up and Kazuya ties his jacket around his waist as they walk back toward the dorm. The walk back isn't very long at all, and before they know it, they've reached the second floor landing of the dorm. Their dorms are at the opposite ends of the second floor, so that is where they part.

"Did you have fun, Yuka-chan?" Kazuya asks.

"Yeah. It's a nice change of pace," Yukari says honestly, "I'm glad you asked me out."

"Well, that's all that matters, then," Kazuya says with a huge grin on his face. Yukari is glad to see that grin after seeing him looking a little lost since he is appointed captain. If she can take his mind off of the pressure for just a little while, she doesn't mind going on dates like this again.

"I'll see you later, then," Yukari says as she walks toward her dorm room. Before she can take her second step away from Kazuya, he turns her around her by a pull of her wrist and wraps an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his chest tightly. Her eyes widen as she looks up at him. She narrows her eyes when she sees him grinning.

"Did you seriously think I was gonna let you go that easily?" Kazuya asks. Yukari knows what's going to happen, so she rolls her eyes and takes matters into her own hands. She wraps her free arm around Kazuya and leans up to firmly kiss his lips. She doesn't know what his expression is like, but by his sharp intake of breath, she can guess that he looks shocked.

When his hold on her loosens, Yukari pulls away and frees herself. She smirks smugly at Kazuya's bewildered look, happy that she takes _him_ off-guard for once.

"You're so adorable, Kazuya," Yukari says, mocking the way Kazuya says the same thing to her after he kissed her for the first time, "See you," she says as she turns around and walks toward her dorm room, waving her hand over her shoulder.


	23. Chapter 23

**So before we start with this week's chapter (which is late; I'm sorry!), I would like to say something.**

 **To guest reviewer, thank you for your constructive criticism on how I portrayed Kazuya as a boyfriend. I really appreciate your input. But I'm sorry to say that I personally don't agree with you.**

 **You said '(Kazuya) is more like that kind of guys that really want to mess with his girlfriend most of times, and when they are alone, he is not supposed to know what to say, maybe just sit beside her and saying something "romantic" but failing in an epic way'.**

 **I can't say that either of our interpretations on Kazuya as a boyfriend is right or wrong, because 1) I am not Terajima-sensei, and 2) like I've mentioned in a previous chapter, I don't know how Kazuya will act when he's lovestruck with anything other than baseball.**

 **But judging from what I've watched from the anime and read from the manga, I personally don't think Kazuya would fumble over his words when he's nervous. When he gave his inaugural speech after he was appointed captain, he was nervous, but he was very eloquent. I don't see why he can't be like that when he's alone with someone he loves.**

 **The way that I meant to portray Kazuya is that he likes to say the things that he thinks will make Yukari blush, because he likes making her blush. It's kind of his way to show his affection while making fun of her at the same time. I feel that he doesn't mind saying cheesy or honest things that will make even _himself_ blush if it means Yukari will blush. I'm sorry if I failed in getting that across.**

 **With that said, I hope we can agree to disagree. Thank you so much for giving your input, though! If all those guest reviews were from you, I can tell that you've been following this fic since the beginning, and I really appreciate it. Sorry if I've disappointed you!**

 **Thank you for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Hope you enjoy this next one~!**

* * *

The pre-season scrimmages start a couple of days after the first day of practice. On the first match, Seidou managed to win with Furuya, who almost passed out from fatigue by seventh inning because he had been going all out since the first, and Sawamura, who only managed to get three outs thanks to the fielders. The second game didn't end as well, though. The usually dependable Nori gave up seven walks and five hits, and the match ended at the fifth inning with Seidou's loss.

It's a recurring problem within Seidou baseball team that they haven't been able to solve. It's been five years since Yukari is in the team, and they have never had a reliable pitcher worthy of the ace number. Maybe that's one of the reasons why Seidou hasn't been able to go to Koshien since six years ago. Not even Tanba was consistent enough. Unlike those years, though, right now the team has three pitchers to pick from. Sadly, none of them are showing promise. Yukari sees no point in having so many pitchers but none of them turn out to be useless.

"Oi, Yukari."

Yukari breaks out of her daydream at Shunpei's call. They're sitting in a café as he works on his summer homework. Yakushi doesn't have practice that day, so Shunpei asked her out for a 'study date'. Yukari, who is fed up with the state of the team, decides to skip practice to go to what ends up to be a faux tutoring session since instead of studying, Yukari is now helping Shunpei with his summer homework, on the condition that he pays for her meal.

"Back on Earth, space cadet?" Shunpei asks with a playful grin, "Still as spacey as usual, I see."

"Shut up. What is it?" Yukari asks. Shunpei then proceeds to ask her about his homework. She then explains how to answer the problem as simply as she can while taking a bite of her lemon meringue pie.

"Yeah, got it. Thanks," Shunpei says, "So? I actually didn't think you'd agree to go out with me. What made you decide that spending your afternoon with me is better than watching over your precious baseball babies?"

"They currently frustrate me to death, that's why," Yukari says.

"Heeh? Do tell," Shunpei says without looking away from his homework.

"No way in hell," Yukari says, "We're still rivals. Just because we're childhood friends, I'm not just gonna give away any precious data about my team to you."

Shunpei chuckles, "Not even to thank me for paying your meals?"

"Over my dead body."

"That's horrible," Shunpei says with a laugh. He then eyes Yukari, "Is it Miyuki?"

Yukari sighs. As usual, she knows that he'll never let it go until she spills, "…part of it."

"What is it, trouble in paradise? Is he being an asshole? Should I beat him up?"

Yukari smirks at her childhood friend, "Hold your horses, boy. If he's being an asshole, I won't need your help to deal with him."

"Should I be worried about _him_ , then?"

"That's rude. He can take care of himself," Yukari laughs. She then sighs, "The whole team is just going through a huge change, including Kazuya, and it's just been rough, that's all."

"Ah, is Miyuki captain now?" Shunpei asks.

"Are you?" Yukari asks back.

"I asked first."

"And I asked second. What's your point?"

Shunpei laughs, "Fine. I'm not."

"Is that so," Yukari says before finishing her pie.

"Oi, you didn't answer my question!"

"Just do your homework, Shunpei," Yukari says with a smirk. Shunpei clicks his tongue when he realizes that he's lost, but obliges.

"Oh, by the way, have you been keeping up with the Koshien matches?" Shunpei asks.

"I have," Yukari confirms.

"That Narumiya guy is something else, isn't he?"

"He's good, Inajitsu is winning, he gets a new nickname, his head grows in size, and he gets even more annoying than I thought a person is capable of being. What else is new," Yukari says with a shrug.

"You don't seem to be amused by any of it. Mishima keeps making fun of his nickname," Shunpei says with a chuckle.

"To be honest, I'm just listening to the matches out of obligation," Yukari confesses, "It's hard to be interested in a match that doesn't or won't involve Seidou. Besides, it's easier to gather data if I'm watching the real thing. But there's no way I would spend my money just to watch a real Koshien match. It's way too troublesome."

"You're a freaking workaholic," Shunpei says, "When's the last time you watched a baseball game for fun?"

"…last year, I guess?"

"You gotta get out more," Shunpei says.

"Shut up. Unlike you, I take my job seriously," Yukari says, "And do you think you have the time to mock me? It's almost 5 PM."

"Oh crap!" Shunpei starts panicking when he realizes that he's risking breaking his dorm's 5:30 PM curfew by asking his childhood friend questions about her baseball team. Yukari just watches him in amusement as he finishes his homework.

xXx

Out of the three pitchers Seidou currently have, currently, the only remotely reliable one is Furuya. Sawamura still seems to lose control over his pitches as he keeps giving away meatballs. Nori seems to be doing much worse because he's not showing any sign of his ball control anywhere. With that in consideration, Nori is then exempted from future scrimmages.

The news about Koshien seems to flood the TV and the radio. Yukari is walking toward the cafeteria after returning from her faux tutoring session with Shunpei when she hears on the radio that Inajitsu has managed to reach the finals. On her way there, she sees Jun.

"Good evening, Jun-san," Yukari greets him as she takes her earphones off. Jun turns to look at her.

"Oh, Ichikawa. Evening," Jun says. He slows down until they fall into step together, "Did you just get back? Where the hell did you go?"

"…out," Yukari says simply.

Jun scoffs as he tugs lightly at Yukari's ponytail, "Skipping practices now, aren't you, you cheeky brat?" He then opens the cafeteria door as he wipes the sweat off of his chin, "Damn, it's hot…"

Yukari peeks from beside Jun and sees that some of the players are still around and the TV is on.

"What are you guys doing here at this time? Ichikawa's gonna get mad at you if you guys don't get some rest, y'know," Jun says, "Is there something interesting on TV?"

Yukari briefly catches what's on TV; news coverage on Koshien. Zono then changes the channel in panic, "N-No, not really…"

"I'm out of ice in my freezer. I'm gonna take some from here," Jun says as he approaches the freezer.

"Y-Yes, go ahead," Zono says. Yukari then approaches Kazuya and some of the second year players.

"Isashiki-senpai," Yukari hears Sawamura call out, "Inajitsu made the final," he informs. Jun's hand pauses from putting ice into his tumbler. He turns his head slightly toward Sawamura.

"Huh?"

"O-Oi, Sawamura!" Youichi hisses. Sawamura ignores him and grits his teeth.

"You guys didn't lose," the first year southpaw continues, "I don't think Inajitsu is better. It was so pathetic, that I had to watch the video over and over to really accept it…" he squeezes his hand in a fist as he shakes, "B-But the weak link… the weak link was me. At the very end, I got scared of Inajitsu's batters."

From the corner of her eye, Yukari sees Nori flinching.

"'What drives you so much?', 'Why do you fight so hard?' I wondered. What does it mean to go to Koshien? What's so special about Koshien?" Sawamura asks as he looks straight at Jun. Yukari looks down at her lap. She also wonders the same thing.

"I don't know."

Yukari looks up at Jun when he says those words.

"I've never been to Koshien," Jun says almost lifelessly. Sawamura flinches.

"N-No… that's not what I…"

"Then what was your point, huh?!"

Youichi then locks Sawamura's neck and drags him backward, "I'm sorry, Jun-san! As you know, he's 'special'."

Jun clicks his tongue, "Yeah, I guess so," he then approaches Sawamura and glares at him, "I don't know what you want out of Koshien, but who sets their goals on something anyone can go to? We try because it's hard. It's a dream because it takes a lot of work," he pulls away and walks toward the door, "What's so special about Koshien? Don't make me laugh," he then looks over his shoulder toward Sawamura, "Why don't you go figure that out yourself, idiot?" Jun says as he leaves the cafeteria.

Yukari's eyes widen slightly as she remembers her conversation with Ryousuke during the finals.

" _I wanted to know why people want to go to Koshien so bad. I mean… what's so good about it anyway?"_

"… _that's why we'll take you there, Yukari. You and Kantoku."_

Not long after, Jun slams the door open, "Let me tell you! You'll never get to Koshien the way you are! Miyuki!" Kazuya flinches at his call, "Zono!" Zono jumps, "Kuramochi!" Youichi backs up from the door, "Everyone's looking at you, so be good examples! Ichikawa!" Yukari turns to look at him with a raised eyebrow, "Don't give me that look! You make sure these idiots shape up! And you batters! You guys aren't scoring at all in the scrimmages! You'd better swing until your hands fall off!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Kawakami!" Nori jumps, "Stop looking so gloomy all the time! You have another year! Start looking forward!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Don't let the first years walk all over you, idiot!" he then slams the door shut and walks away.

Yukari scoffs in amusement. _Why is it that he says the things I want them to know so easily? Maybe I should've asked the upperclassmen for help a long time ago…_ she then sighs. _No, no, I can't keep thinking like that. We can't keep depending on them to save us… Maybe_ I _should've said something to them sooner_ , she looks at the door and smirks. _Thanks, Jun-san. I hope that would be the last time we trouble you._

xXx

Two days after that, the Koshien final between Inashiro Industrial from West Tokyo and Komadai Fujimaki from South Hokkaido ends in Inajitsu's loss. Yukari doesn't care about the result. All she cares about is the data she got from both teams just in case Seidou are going up against any of them. The interesting part about Komadai Fujimaki is that, just like Seidou, they used a four-pitcher relay.

 _That means Kantoku's pitcher relay strategy is not faulty. It's just about the strength of each pitcher that needs to be improved_ , Yukari thinks as she reads her notes while walking toward the field until she bumps into someone. She manages to take a step back to stop her fall. She looks at the person she bumps into.

"Sorry, Kenjirou-kun," Yukari says as she closes her notebook.

"No problem," Kenjirou says.

"Why are you guys stopping?" Yukari asks. She then peeks at what's in front of them and sees a crowd surrounding the field. She raises an eyebrow in confusion. _What's with this crowd right after Koshien has ended?_

"Good luck, guys!"

"You guys are the only team that took four runs from Narumiya!"

"We're counting on you, Seidou batters!"

"I see, so that's what's going on…" Kazuya says wryly.

"That was only because of the third years…" Zono says.

"Geez… why couldn't they just win Koshien? It might've demotivated Narumiya for next year," Youichi complains.

"Yeah, right. He's not the type," Kazuya says with a huge grin, "I'm sure he'll come back even bigger."

"Why are you so happy?"

Yukari sighs, "Well, you guys just go and start warming up. I have to greet them first."

"Doing your housewife duties, Ichikawa?" Youichi mocks.

"You wanna die?" Yukari asks lowly. Youichi flinches as he takes a step away from her. She ignores him and approaches the crowd.

"Good morning, everyone," Yukari greets with a bow.

"Ooh, Yukari-chan! Good morning!"

"Hopefully no one injures themselves today!"

"Have a great practice!"

Yukari nods at them with a small smile, "Thank you for always supporting us. We won't let you down," she says with a bow. When she stands back up, she sees an unfamiliar person with a goatee and grey hair on the sides of his head. She doesn't think she has ever seen him before. She shrugs it off and excuses herself from the crowd.

When she enters the field, she sees Sawamura and Furuya already running around it. She sighs. _They're gonna kill themselves soon._ It's not like she doesn't know why they're being like this. From her knowledge, all pitchers are egotist with a huge competitive streak. Seeing Narumiya stand on the Koshien mound – where _they_ could've stood on – must have been frustrating for both of them. She expected Nori to be running with them, but she doesn't see him.

The practice starts with batting practice, and she can tell that what Jun said to them two days ago have motivated them. Unfortunately, change doesn't happen overnight, and the batters aren't doing as well as they want to be. Yukari can tell that they all are swinging with hesitation. They don't seem to be able to hit decisively.

"We'll start game-simulated batting practice at 1:30 PM! Let's stay focused and do it like a real game!" Kazuya announces.

"Yes, sir!"

From one of the dugouts, Yukari can see Kazuya talking to Nori.

"Miyuki-kun's trying to put Kawakami-kun back on his feet by making him pitch to batters. It's a very catcher-like idea, and maybe it'll work," Rei comments from beside Yukari.

"Kawakami will be fine," Kataoka says firmly from beside Rei, "His form isn't broken, and he knows the position he's in."

Yukari smirks at his words. From the corner of her eyes, she sees Furuya looking a little unsteady on his feet. She sighs, "Excuse me," she then takes a cold towel from one of the coolers and then she approaches Furuya. As usual, she throws the towel toward his face. It's a miracle that being unbalanced as he is, he doesn't fall from the impact of the heavy towel to his face, "Go and cool down."

She leaves him to go to the cafeteria to start helping the auntie serving lunch. Not long after, the players filter into the cafeteria, followed by Kataoka, Rei, and Oota.

"Is everyone here?" Kataoka asks. Without waiting for a confirmation, he continues. "I have an announcement. Starting today, a new assistant coach is going to come in and watch the practice."

"Eh?"

"A new assistant coach, sir?"

"Yes. He's not an alumnus coach like the ones who come sometimes. He'll be here as an official assistant coach," Kataoka explains.

Not just the players, but Yukari is also taken aback by the news. In all her years with the team, they never had an official assistant coach, not to mention an outsider. Usually an alumnus would return and become a temporary assistant coach. She figures that this particular coach is going to stay for a long time. It's just unusual to have a non-alumnus join the team intentionally.

"He taught for twenty years at Kokaidai Sagara in Kanagawa, and he left the team when the head coach, Yamamoto-kantoku, retired," Kataoka explains further.

 _Kokaidai… they're a regular at Koshien_ , Yukari thinks.

"He has a lot of experience in conditioning exercises. I plan to incorporate any good ideas he has," Kataoka says. While keeping her ears on Kataoka, Yukari scans the reaction of the players. They all seem shocked and confused. But the reaction that made Yukari raise her eyebrows in confusion is Rei's and Oota's. They're looking down at their feet, seemingly disturbed by the news. _Is there something going on…?_

"All in all, the plan is to get the team stronger during the summer. Make sure you tackle your weakness before the fall tournament!"

"Yes, sir!"

The head coach, Rei, and Oota leave the cafeteria, and Yukari sighs as the second years start to flock around her.

"Oi, Ichikawa, did you hear anything about this?" Youichi asks. Yukari shakes her head.

"It's the first time I heard anything about that," Yukari admits.

"I thought that both assistant and head coaches here were mostly alumni," Kazuya says.

"That's usually the case," Yukari confirms, "It's my fifth year here, and there hasn't been a coach that has no ties with the school coming in," _Not to mention it's a little bit sudden… I'm not sure how to take this,_ Yukari thinks. She shrugs, "Well, there's no use in overthinking this. Get your trays; I'm gonna start plating lunch."

xXx

After lunch, Yukari walks toward the dugout where she can see the head coach and his advisors and an unfamiliar person wearing yellow. Her eyes widen when she realizes that it was the stranger she saw that morning. _So that's the new assistant coach?_

"Hmm?" the stranger with the goatee turns to look at Yukari who is approaching them, "Who is this? Another manager?"

"This is Ichikawa Yukari. She has been with us since her first year of junior high mainly as the team's trainer," Kataoka introduces her.

Yukari bows at the person in yellow, "How do you do? I'm Ichikawa Yukari. Nice to meet you."

"Hmm… trainer, huh…?" Ochiai says while rubbing his goatee.

"Ichikawa, this is Ochiai Hiromitsu. He will be our new assistant coach," Kataoka says.

"Nice to meet you," Ochiai says, "You're mainly here as a trainer?"

"That is right," Yukari says.

"So you have other roles here?"

"I am also a manager. I gather data on our players and other school's to help with strategy making," Yukari explains.

"She has an incredible observation skill, even when she was in junior high. Before she is enrolled here, she helped me scout a couple of the players, both the current ones and the already retired ones," Rei explains.

"Heeh, is that so…?" Ochiai says. He then returns his attention to the players. They are doing fielding practice, "You're pushing them hard, aren't you?"

"The summer heat is only available to us during this season. I always push the players during summer."

"Quite fiendish of you," Ochiai says. Oota's eyes widen at his frank words. Yukari eyes him. There aren't a lot of people who can be that frank with Kataoka, so it's the first time she hears those words right at his face.

"No matter how good they may become, they're still high school students. If they can't play to the best of their ability on the field, they'll be the ones with the bitter memories," Kataoka says. Yukari can see Ochiai eyeing Kataoka.

"Well, I think I'll just observe for now," Ochiai says, "I haven't memorized anyone's faces and names yet, and I want to get a feel for the kind of practice you do."

"I understand," Kataoka says, "Feel free to bring me any remarks you have. If it'll help the team improve, I'll set up as many meetings as possible."

"Are you sure about that?" Yukari narrows her eyes at his words, "Can I change this team however I see fit?"

Yukari's eyes widen at his words. Without her even realizing it, her left hand is curled up in a fist and it's shaking just a little. _The hell…?_

"Just kidding. I'm actually pretty shy."

"Eh?" Oota's eyes widen.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

 _But that didn't feel like a joke…_ Yukari thinks, a frown still marring her face.

"Don't look like that," Ochiai says. Yukari looks up when she realizes that he's talking to her, "If you look that scary, no one's gonna want to be helped by you."

When Yukari smirks, Ochiai flinches a little at the slight yet sudden temperature change, "Being scary is actually part of my charm. If you are staying, I'm sure you _will_ get used to it eventually," she says with an almost threatening tone. She then bows at Ochiai, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to start my rounds," she straightens up and smirks again, "Please, don't hesitate to come and find me if you have any questions about the players. I'll be _happy_ to help."

She has only been around him for less than ten minutes, but she has made a decision. Yukari isn't going to like this official assistant coach very much.


	24. Chapter 24

Since the beginning of the month, Seidou's scrimmage results, including the second string games, have been eight wins and four losses. While they have more wins, they lack the scoring power, and the games have all been close. But what Yukari can see, this situation actually motivates more first years to get into the first string. With their determination, they're also pushing the second years to do their best. Overall, the atmosphere surrounding the team is not bad.

But Yukari still can't feel the team shaping up into one. If this goes on, they'll be sitting ducks during the fall tournament.

After practice one day, the head coach announced a practice game with Yakushi. He explained that it was a sudden request from them that he decided to accept. It was the first time since the regional tournament that Seidou was going to have a practice match with a team they went up against in an official tournament.

For some reason, after the announcement, the players' performances got better. Youichi, Haruichi, and Zono managed to contribute to scoring. Kazuya even hit a home run without runners on base. Not only them, but some of the first years had started to show their potential, particularly Toujou Hideaki. He proved to be very helpful in the match against Chiba Shodai.

What Yukari is more concerned about are the pitchers. While Furuya's pitches were enough to hold down the fort, they were as out of control as usual. Sawamura, on the other hand, had been throwing even wider pitches the more he throws.

To Yukari, it almost feels like he's running away, which is unlike him. If he keeps doing that, he's gonna have no chance against Yakushi, or more specifically, Todoroki.

After winning against Chiba Shodai with the score of 6-2, some of the players are gathered in the cafeteria discussing the game. After that match, the second string has another match with another school, but they lost. Yukari watches Sawamura's expression closely. He looks extremely frustrated with himself.

"Looks like you know very well what your problem was today, Sawamura," Kazuya says. Sawamura grits his teeth. During the ninth inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, the batter from Chiba manages to hit his pitch to the right field, giving them their two runs. He wasn't giving Kazuya the inside pitch Yukari is sure he asked for, "It was an outside pitch. Luckily they jammed a pitch later, and we got away, but against Yakushi, it won't be that easy."

Sawamura growls lowly.

"Furuya, you need to practice pitching when there are runners," Kazuya says. Furuya nods, "Kawakami, you need to practice baiting with your low pitches. I have a lot I want to try, but we have two more games during the break. Let's go win them like they're the real deal."

Yukari jumps a bit when her phone buzzes in her pocket. She takes it out and frowns when she sees who the caller is. She rejects the call and puts her phone back into her pocket as she refocuses on the players' conversation. Not long after, her phone is buzzing again. Yukari rolls her eyes.

"Um… Yuka-chan? Why don't you answer it?" Kazuya suggests.

"It's Shunpei. He's just gonna boast about how he got us caught off guard from the practice game offer and about how he didn't think we'd accept it. And then he's gonna tell us to prepare ourselves to lose, because they're aiming for their nth consecutive win or something like that."

"T-That's kinda scary…" Nori says.

"You don't know that, though," Kazuya says. Yukari raises a challenging eyebrow.

"Oh, don't I?" Yukari asks with a smirk. She then answers Shunpei's call and puts it on speaker.

"Oi, Yukari! How could you reject my call?! You're horrible!" Shunpei whines. The players surrounding her widen their eyes while Yukari rolls hers.

"You're loud. It's late," Yukari says, "So what is it?"

Shunpei chuckles, "I bet you guys didn't see that offer coming, did you?"

"Well, kinda. You didn't say anything about it when we met last time," Yukari says as she holds up one finger. _One correct._

"Well, then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore! But I gotta say, I was kinda shocked myself when you guys accepted it," Shunpei says.

"It's a good opportunity to test our new team's ability," Yukari says as she holds up a second finger. _Two correct_.

"Am I reading too much into it, or did the great _Seidou no Yukihime_ just praised our humble team? I'm honored."

"Yeah, you better be. I don't give compliments lightly, you know."

"Oh, I know," Shunpei chuckles, "Well, tell your boys to prepare yourselves, because we're definitely gonna get our twentieth consecutive win."

Yukari smirks as she holds up a third finger. _Three for three_ , "Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Yukari says as she hangs up. She smirks when she sees the slack jawed look on the players' faces, "That's what happens when you've been around some people for too long," she pockets her phone, stands up from her seat and says, "Don't stay up too late," over her shoulders as she leaves the cafeteria.

xXx

The next morning, they go up against Arita High School from Chiba and, even though Nori isn't in his best condition, the fielders make up for his shortcomings and they win. In the afternoon, Yukari can see the Yakushi players approaching the field. Yukari stays in the dugout as Kataoka and Oota greet Yakushi's coach, Todoroki Raizou.

Since there is a chance that they might go up against Yakushi in the fall tournament, it is the best chance Yukari has to gather all the necessary data on them. After losing against Seidou in the regional tournament, something must have changed within Yakushi.

"From the fourth inning, Furuya will move to the left field. Then Sawamura and Kawakami will pitch, in that order," Kataoka explains.

"Yes, sir!" Sawamura and Nori answer.

Yukari looks at Yakushi's dugout, and she rolls her eyes when Shunpei waves at her.

"Line up!"

The players from both teams run to the diamond to line up. After exchanging greetings, the Yakushi players take their place in the diamond and the battery starts warming up. Yukari notices that the battery isn't the one who played against them last time. The pitcher was the first baseman and the catcher played outfield in the regional tournament. This time, Shunpei is the first baseman.

"Play ball!"

Youichi manages to hit a double, mainly by utilizing his speed and managing to get onto the base by the skin of his teeth. Haruichi bunts to advance him to third. Even though Youichi manages to reach third base, Haruichi is just a second too late. Zono quickly gets struck out, and the next up is Kazuya.

Yukari is a little bit worried. Most of the good hits he gave during previous matches have been flukes, and a two out and runner on third in the first inning situation may not be enough pressure to motivate him. The pitcher pitches, and Yukari raises an eyebrow in confusion when the catcher misses it. Youichi doesn't miss the opportunity and runs home.

Kazuya returns to the batter's box and pops the next pitch, which Shunpei catches. Yukari sighs in exasperation when he sheepishly returns to the dugout. _This is getting old… one of these days, I'd love it if you surprised me with your batting, Kazuya…_

When it's time to change, the fielders are all ready to go, but Furuya stays in front of the dugout facing the head coach. The fielders stop when their pitcher doesn't follow them.

"What do you need?" Kataoka asks.

"Can I pitch until the end of this game?" Furuya asks. Yukari rolls her eyes. _This again?_ "My assignment is to get the stamina to pitch many innings. Three isn't enough," he then bows to Kataoka, "Please."

"No," Kataoka cuts off Furuya's plead. The first year pitcher flinches, "Getting even one more out for the team is much more important than pitching for nine innings!" the head coach says, "This isn't a game just for you."

Furuya slumps.

"But… depending on how well you pitch, I may give you more innings," Kataoka says.

And just like that, Furuya perks back up. Yukari rolls her eyes. _Being an ace isn't just about pitching for a full match… it's about their contribution to the team during the innings they play in. Basically, quality over quantity. Better get that into your head, Furuya._

"Let's go!" Kazuya shouts. The fielders then take their places in the mound.

"Nine innings by himself," Ochiai says from the bench behind Yukari, "How reliable. He must have a lot of confidence and resolve to say that."

"Yes," Kataoka agrees, "I'm always surprised by him, as well. Furuya has a lot of attachment to the mound."

Sawamura and Nori flinch at his words.

"Well, if only those confidence and resolve are followed by consistent result, then he'd be a dream. But unfortunately, this is reality," Yukari says under her breath. Sachi, who is acting as the match's scorekeeper, giggles at her words.

xXx

At the bottom of fourth, Furuya gets his sixth strikeout. The only hit he's given up is a double by Todoroki. Even though he manages to keep Yakushi from scoring, so far, the only run Seidou has is from the error on the first inning. Since the players are still not meshing well, even though they manage to hit the pitches, they don't score runs.

Batting next from Yakushi is Todoroki. Yukari isn't expecting much, since Todoroki will hit whatever's thrown at him. The only way to overpower him is for Furuya to throw low, but his pitches have been unpredictable. Todoroki fouls the first three pitches and at the fourth one, he hits it toward center, and Toujou manages to catch it.

Yukari smirks. _Not bad_ , she thinks as the players return to the dugout. The players gather in front of it for a short briefing.

"That pitcher throws a lot of forkballs. He must have a lot of confidence in that pitch. I won't deny that it's a good pitch, but he's not controlling them all perfectly. In other words, you guys are missing his easy forkballs and getting jammed," Kataoka says firmly, "Swing at the pitch above the waist. Don't miss the easy pitch. Now go do the batting you've practiced!"

"Yes, sir!"

Toujou steps into the batter's box and the pitcher pitches. When Yukari sees Toujou swinging, she shakes her head slightly. _It's too low!_ Her eyes widen when he lengthens his bat's range by letting go of one of his hands. She scoffs. _He's actually not a bad player. He just got overshadowed by Furuya, Sawamura, and Haruichi. Well, it's time to shine, Toujou_ , Yukari thinks as she adds data about Toujou in her notes for the Seidou players.

Youichi bunts during his turn, but unfortunately he lost to Shunpei's catch by a split second. Toujou makes it to the second base. Haruichi manages to hit the ball back to the pitcher, arrives at first, and sends Toujou to third. One out, runners on first and third, and the next batter is Zono.

"The first years got us this opportunity! Let's show what we upperclassmen can do, Zono!" Kazuya shouts from the on-deck circle.

"Shut up!" Zono shouts back.

 _As long as you swing without hesitation, you'd be a big help, Zono. Don't keep trying to hit to the right. There are other ways to get on base,_ Yukari thinks. Zono fouls the first pitch. She winces. _Too tense. Calm down, Zono. You can't be the three-hole if you keep getting pressured like this._

"Relax your shoulders!" Kazuya shouts, "You're stiff!"

Zono shakes his shoulders in an attempt to do what Kazuya told him to. The pitcher then pitches a strike to the inside. Zono hits the next pitch right toward the pitcher and he outs Haruichi and Zono. The players then return to the dugout.

"Kantoku!" Sawamura says as he approaches Kataoka and Kazuya who are conversing in front of the dugout, "Can I go out this inning?"

Yukari sighs and waits for Kataoka's decision. He _did_ say that Sawamura and Nori might have to take the mound from the fourth inning. But it's going to be the bottom of fifth, and Furuya has been doing pretty well.

"No."

Yukari shrugs at Kataoka's words. _Thought so._

"Eh?! B-But! It's the fifth inning, and the plan was–"

"Just be quiet and wait."

"Eeeh?!"

"Assessing the situation and warming up is an important job as a reliever."

Yukari winces minutely at his words. _That's a little bit harsh._ Sawamura looks taken aback. He squeezes his hand in a fist and stomps back to the bullpen. The game continues with no runs for Yakushi.

During his turn on the top of sixth, Kazuya manages to get a hit – Yukari shakes her head with a smirk at that – and Furuya then manages to get him home with a double of his own, gaining Seidou their second run. Unfortunately, the other batters can't follow them up and Yakushi gets their third out.

 _It's already the sixth inning… not to mention this game is getting kind of boring. Shunpei might be playing soon._

During the bottom of sixth, Yakushi's impatience and Furuya's fatigue are starting to show. Yakushi's first batter threatens to bunt but doesn't, making Furuya chase for the ball. And then Furuya starts to throw two balls. The batter jams the fourth pitch, which is caught by Zono, but Furuya is late for the base cover.

 _This kind of performance comes from someone who said that they wanted to play for nine full innings. Of course_ , Yukari thinks sarcastically, then she sighs. _But, well, if you can grow from this, it would be good._

Right after she's done with her thought, Furuya walks the next batter with four straight balls. Yukari rolls her eyes. _His pitches are rising little by little… but if he really wants to pitch for nine innings, he's gonna have to be able to throw low when there are runners on base._

Furuya then manages to strike the batter out. Yukari smirks. _That's it._

One out and runners on first and second. After the next batter hits Furuya's pitch, Seidou executes their classic 4-6-3 double play and manages to hold Yakushi off from scoring. Kataoka finally tells Kanemaru to tell Sawamura that he's being sent in the next inning. Predictably, Furuya isn't happy about it.

At the top of seventh, Shunpei finally takes his place on the mound. Toujou is batting. Yukari pays closer attention to this at-bat particularly because Toujou has never gone up against Shunpei before, and it has been some time since she saw Shunpei pitch. When she sees the trajectory of the pitch, Yukari narrows her eyes. Toujou jams the pitch and gets out. _He wouldn't be able to help it. Shunpei aimed for Toujou's body; Toujou was just trying to protect himself_ , Yukari thinks with a sigh. _He's as aggressive as ever, I see…_

"Yakushi looks livelier since he stepped onto the mound," Sachi comments.

"The existence of a real ace just creates that kind of atmosphere on the diamond, I guess," Yukari says, then she shrugs, "I wouldn't know; we haven't gotten a real ace in my five years with the team," Sachi chuckles dryly at that.

The next batter, Youichi, steps into the batter's box and Shunpei pitches. Yukari clicks her tongue as she writes down on her Yakushi notes.

"Y-Yukari…? You look scary…" Sachi says.

"Shunpei, that bastard…" Yukari grumbles. _His cutter is getting even_ more _troublesome, if it's even possible._ She shakes off the nagging feeling of wanting to try and catch Shunpei's – now even more – breaking ball. Youichi jams the next pitch and gets out. When Haruichi hits the ball straight at Todoroki at third, Yukari winces.

"Three outs! Change!"

The Seidou players filter into the diamond and Sawamura takes his place in the mound while Furuya – with his aura bursting uncontrollably – goes to the left field. Yukari is a little bit worried. Since the scrimmages start, Sawamura hasn't shown her a kind of pitching that she's satisfied with. Sure, he has been getting outs, but it's mainly thanks to the fielders or pure luck. It feels like he's running away from the batters instead of facing them head on like he usually did.

"Eijun-kun! One at a time! Let's play one at a time, like usual!" Haruichi calls out from his position at second base. Instead of answering him energetically – and obnoxiously – as usual, Sawamura only nods at him; not only to Haruichi, but to everyone who shouts their encouragement for him. _He was really fired up when pitching in the bullpen earlier… but now he's not even going to shout his signature tagline? That's worrying in and on itself…_

Sawamura pitches and Yukari doesn't see anything weird about his form. _It's the usual form… but then why is he throwing it to the ground?_ She wonders as she sees Kazuya catching the ball. Yukari narrows her eyes as she flips through her notes from previous scrimmages. She reads on the pitches Kazuya asked for in the previous games, and she frowns when she realizes that Sawamura usually makes an error whenever Kazuya asked for a pitch to the inside.

 _Sawamura… don't tell me…_

Sawamura pitches again, and this time it flies to the right. If Kazuya hadn't caught it, it would've gone to the backstop. The next pitch is right in the middle, and the batter hits it right to the center. Yukari frowns in worry as her breathing accelerates. _Even in my position in the dugout, I can feel his aggression… but he's not getting relaxed at all… This is bad… not to mention the next batter is…_

A distinctive laughter can be heard as Todoroki laughs his way to the batter's box. Sawamura keeps throwing the ball to first base, trying to retire the runner. The first pitch is a ball to the outside, which Todoroki ignores. _He can pitch to the outside just fine…_ Yukari thinks, as slowly but surely she becomes more and more certain about something she doesn't want to believe. _Am I overthinking things…?_ She wonders as she winces at the sudden pain in her chest.

At this point, if Yukari were Kazuya, she would ask for the cutter that Todoroki doesn't know Sawamura can throw. It's the best way to throw Todoroki off _and_ get a strike. But the cutter is, of course, an inside pitch for a left-handed batter, like Todoroki. _If you can't throw this one too, I don't know what else to think, Sawamura._ Please, _I'm begging you, prove me wrong_ , Yukari thinks as she tries to take a deep breath but fails.

Sawamura winds up and pitches. Yukari's eyes widen when she sees the course. _Right in the middle?!_ Of course, Todoroki doesn't miss the chance and hits a home run out of it. Kazuya then calls for a time out, and Sawamura is then surrounded by the infielders.

"Yes, sir! Of course I will! That's all I can do anyway!"

When Yukari can hear Sawamura's loud voice again, she didn't think she would be so relieved. Usually, she would think of him as loud and annoying, but he's Sawamura _because_ he's loud and annoying. Seeing him silently nodding at the fielders earlier made her uneasy. But now that he has regained his voice, Yukari loosens up a little.

That little worry she's having for Sawamura is still nagging, though, especially with his next performance, in which he lets three hits in a row. This time, Shunpei is batting. As usual, Yukari is sure that Kazuya is asking for inside pitches, but Sawamura keeps throwing balls to the outside

"He's not pitching to the mitt at all," Ochiai says what Yukari has on her mind, "How's the catcher supposed to do anything?"

Yukari bites her lower lip as she watches Sawamura. _Come on, Sawamura. A crossfire to Shunpei's chest. Get a strike._ Sawamura pitches another pitch right in the middle and Shunpei hits it cleanly right between right and center. _Again, he can't throw to the inside, whether it's with left-handed batters or right-handed ones…_

Yukari has an idea about what might trigger this change: the dead ball he threw at Shirakawa's head during the finals. _Even after throwing that dead ball, his performance right after that deteriorated. But with his strong mental strength, I thought he would be over that by now… it seems that I was wrong. Had it not been the finals or Shirakawa's head he hit with the dead ball, maybe this wouldn't happen. But I guess the experience traumatized him so much that he grows scared of throwing to the inside… for fear of hitting the batter on the head again._

Sawamura continues to throw either balls or pitches right down the middle. He hasn't gotten a single out. Even with everyone's encouragement, his performance doesn't improve. Yukari can tell that he doesn't want to leave the mound like that, but she knows that it's useless to keep him there.

Sawamura winds up and pitches. The ball is thrown high at the backstop; not even Kazuya can reach it in time. Kazuya then runs for the ball while the runners start moving.

"Sawamura, cover!"

But it seems as though Sawamura is deaf to Youichi's calls. He stands there at the mound, unable to do anything besides gape at the direction of where the ball is flying.


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm sorry this chapter is later than usual. I haven't been feeling very well. But because this is one of the last chapters of _the first season_ , I feel like I shouldn't hold it back. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Time out!" Kataoka requests. The umpire announces the time out and Kataoka calls Kazuya to the dugout. He also asks Yukari's presence, so she wordlessly approaches Kataoka to the front of the dugout.

"How is Sawamura?" Kataoka asks Kazuya.

"His pitch has power, and he's not getting overwhelmed by the batters," Kazuya answers, "But in the recent games, his inside pitch has often been a little wide. I don't know how aware he is of the problem, but it may be because of the dead ball in the final."

"What do you think, Ichikawa?" Kataoka asks.

Yukari sighs, "This is actually out of my league, but from what I saw, even during the final, after the dead ball, his performance has already started going downhill. I didn't think it would go to this extent, but at this point, if he doesn't work this problem out, he will be useless to us."

The players in the dugout wince at Yukari's harsh words, but they can't refute her statement.

"Furuya!" Kataoka calls out. Furuya jogs from the left field to the dugout. With a clear voice, Kataoka simply says, "Sawamura. Switch."

Yukari can see the devastation in Sawamura's eyes, but there's no helping it. Everyone should be thankful that this is not a tournament and Sawamura's problem is addressed before they go into the fall tournament. At this point, if Sawamura continues with this performance, they will be obliterated.

Furuya then walks toward the mound, and Yukari has a feeling that Sawamura wouldn't be handing the ball over to Furuya so easily. But all of a sudden, she hears laughter coming from Sawamura. She frowns at the emptiness of his laughter.

"Of course! I gave up three runs without getting a single out! I _should_ be switched out!" Sawamura then slams the ball to Furuya's mitt. She can see his whole body shaking. He then looks up at Furuya with a forced smile, "Sorry for leaving the mound like this. Take care of the rest."

Yukari's eyes widen at his words. She then clicks her tongue as she looks away. _Stop that, Sawamura. You make me want to pity you when you clearly don't want to be pitied._

Sawamura then returns to the dugout with his cap pulled down to cover his eyes. But Yukari notices the tears on his face. She wordlessly walks toward the back of the dugout and takes a cold towel from the ice box, wringing it until it's not too wet. When Sawamura reaches the dugout, she throws it to his face, maybe with a little more force than necessary. With the sudden force of cold weight thrown at his face, Sawamura almost loses his footing. She doesn't say anything as she returns to her seat.

The game continues and Furuya is actually doing well. Putting him in left field to recharge some of his stamina might have been a good idea. Seidou easily gains two outs with Furuya's fine pitching.

"Ichikawa," Kataoka calls out.

"Yes, sir?" Yukari turns to look at Kataoka.

"Help Sawamura ice his shoulder. Kanemaru, help her out," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir!" Kanemaru says. Yukari stands up with a small sigh.

"Kanemaru, please get the ice box," Yukari asks.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Yukari approaches Sawamura at the back of the dugout and sits beside him as she gets the shoulder pack ready.

"I've brought the ice box over," Kanemaru says as he puts the ice box on the ground in front of the bench in front of Sawamura.

"Thanks, Kanemaru," Yukari says as she starts filling up the shoulder pack with ice. After it's filled up, she eyes Sawamura, who hasn't moved an inch since he returned to the dugout. She sighs, "I'm leaving the shoulder pack here. Ice your shoulder properly. Don't take too long or the ice is gonna melt."

Yukari purposefully ignores the wet part of the bench that has been stained with Sawamura's tears. She then returns to her seat as the players return from the diamond.

The match continues. It pains her to say that she saw the outcome coming. Even with Furuya's fine pitching, after he's being switched out, Nori can't hold Yakushi's batters off. Yakushi manages to get their twentieth consecutive win with the score of 7-2.

xXx

After the match is over, Yukari figures that she should at least show her face to Shunpei. As the coaches of the respective teams are conversing, Yukari jogs toward Yakushi's dugout.

"Great work today. Congratulations on your twentieth win," Yukari says with a short bow.

"Thank you very much!" the Yakushi players reply.

"What's wrong, Yukari? Are you changing your tune now that you realize that we're superior to your team?" Shunpei asks with a teasing grin.

"Are you delirious? Do I have to grace that question with an answer?" Yukari asks incredulously, "Well, I guess I should thank you guys. We managed to find out something important that needed immediate attention, so it wasn't a total waste of time."

"W-Whoaaa! Pretty senpai!" Yukari jumps when she hears Todoroki Raichi shout. She winces a little when she feels a stab of pain from her heart.

"S-Sanada-senpai! Won't you introduce us?" one of the players says. Yukari recognizes him as the starting pitcher for that match.

"What do you think, Yukari? Should I introduce you?" Shunpei asks.

"Do whatever you want," Yukari rolls her eyes as she pants, holding a hand to her heart.

"You guys know _Seidou no Yukihime_ , don't you?"

"Huh? Y-Yes, we do, but…"

"Well, this is her. She's Seidou's manager and trainer, Ichikawa Yukari, my childhood friend."

"I'm not a trainer yet. But nice to meet you," Yukari says automatically with a small bow.

"Whoaaa! Sanada-senpai's girlfriend?!" Todoroki asks with a loud voice. _He's louder than Sawamura… kinda like a kid, too…_ Yukari thinks as she pants lightly.

"S-Senpai! You never told us you have such a beautiful girlfriend in another school!"

"It's a shame, but I'm not her boyfriend…" Shunpei says. He has a very satisfied grin on his face when he sees the excited look on his underclassmen's eyes, "…I never said she was single, though," he laughs when he sees the excitement turn into disappointment.

"You're still such a bully," Yukari says.

"Well, it's all in good fun!" Shunpei says, "Sorry guys, but can you guys leave us alone for a while?"

Yukari frowns at his words as the Yakushi players start to leave them alone. She eyes Shunpei suspiciously, "What is it?"

Shunpei laughs, "Don't look at me like that!" but then he continues with a serious tone, "Is your southpaw okay?"

Yukari sighs as she shrugs, "Don't know. Even if I know, it'll be an internal problem that has nothing to do with you."

"So cold… and here I thought I was being thoughtful," Shunpei says with a wry smile.

Yukari shrugs, "Whatever it is, it's up to him to face the problem and deal with it."

"Make sure he deals with it soon," Shunpei says, "I wouldn't want us to go up against each other like that. It would just be too easy to win; it wouldn't be fun."

"I'll make sure that you'll eat your words," Yukari says with a smirk.

"Are _you_ okay? You look like you've ran a marathon or something," Shunpei asks with a worried frown on his face.

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales, "I'm fine. Todoroki is kinda loud, and I'm just jumpy. But regardless, it's nice to see you again, Shunpei."

"It's nice to see you again too," Shunpei says with a grin, "Next time, let's have another study date."

"No way. I'd end up tutoring you again and it would be troublesome."

"So cold…"

"Okay, boys, let's go!" Todoroki Raizou says as he walks back to Yakushi's dugout.

"Yes, sir!"

"Take care of yourself, Yukari," Shunpei says.

"Yeah, you too," Yukari nods as she jogs back toward Seidou's dugout, bowing slightly at Todoroki Raizou as she passes him.

After the Yakushi team has left Seidou, the Seidou players gather in front of the dugout and Yukari stands beside Oota behind Kataoka.

"You didn't stand a chance," Kataoka says as an opening, "This is where you are right now. This is the current team," his eyes narrow at the players, "Batters! Especially the second years! You lack assertiveness in the box! Perhaps you're putting the focus on batting for the team, but if you can't stick to your own style of batting, what's the point?! I haven't been giving you any instructions in the practice games because I knew you would do well if you swung like you do in practice. You've lost my faith in your batting skills."

Yukari winces at Kataoka's harsh words.

"The starting roster is going to be flexible. I'll let whoever's doing well play, regardless of your grade. So keep that in mind," Kataoka announces, "Stretch, then be done for the day!"

"YES, SIR!"

The players then start to disperse, but before they can go too far, Kataoka calls out, "Miyuki, Kawakami, Sawamura," the three players stop in their tracks, "You guys stay. You too, Ichikawa."

Yukari exhales sharply through her nose and obliges. The four of them follow Kataoka, Oota, and Ochiai to the viewer's box.

"What do you think about your pitching today, Sawamura?" Kataoka asks.

"Sir," Sawamura answers softly, with an almost dead look in his eyes. Yukari doesn't like that look on his face. It's very unlike Sawamura and it makes her uneasy, "I couldn't pitch to where Miyuki-senpai requested."

"Are you aware?" Sawamura frowns at Kataoka's question, "You're unable to pitch to the inside."

Sawamura gulps, but then he says, "I am."

Kazuya puts his hand on Sawamura's back, "In the final, you walked off after throwing a dead ball. Your body might be unconsciously avoiding the inside pitch."

"This condition is called yips. Since this is a mental problem, unfortunately, it's out of my league," Yukari says apologetically, "This problem can only be solved by yourself. But I am ready to help you whenever you feel like I can be of help," she reassures him. Sawamura only nods at her.

"Sawamura," Kataoka says, "Practice on your own starting tomorrow. Avoid any contact with a ball. Your practice will mainly consist of running to strengthen your lower body."

Sawamura looks up lethargically.

"Kawakami, you gave up some hits, but you did well keeping your pitches low. Make sure you fine-tune your technique before the season starts."

"Yes, sir!"

Sawamura clenching his hands gains Yukari's attention. It actually pains her when she can't think of anything to help him.

"At the moment, our batting lineup is much weaker than last year's, so we have to shift our focus to defense. We'll have many close games that'll put pressure on defense. No matter how well Furuya's feeling, he still doesn't have the stamina to pitch a full game. In order to take the fall tournament, we'll need to rely on both of you."

xXx

Yukari doesn't waste her time in researching Sawamura's condition. But no matter how much she reads, she doesn't feel like it's enough. In fact, that the more she reads, the more powerless she feels. Not to mention, it's not something that she's familiar with. She's more familiar with the more biological aspect of the human, not their psyche.

From what she has seen, Sawamura has been following the head coach's instruction. She has seen him running in Field B all day while the other players are practicing batting and fielding in Field A. Even until the second trimester begins, Sawamura is still placed in a separate regimen. If anyone doesn't come up with a solution, the possibility of Sawamura joining the starting roster for the fall tournament is low.

But somehow Yukari has faith that this experience is just going to make Sawamura even stronger when he overcomes it. At some point, she's sure that Sawamura will be so sick of his own weakness that he will either come up with a solution himself (which is somehow highly unlikely; she'd like it if he proves her wrong, though), or someone will help him come up with one (she doesn't know who, but she knows that it's _not_ her). She feels that if she puts her faith in him, he will prevail and prove to everyone that he's strong enough to overcome it.

 _But is faith enough?_ Yukari wonders.

"Ichikawa," one of her classmates calls out during before classes start. She looks up, "Someone's looking for you."

Yukari looks toward her classroom door and her eyes widen slightly when she sees Chris. She nods in gratitude to her classmate and walks toward Chris.

"Chris-senpai. It's unusual for you to seek me out."

"Well, it's quite urgent," Chris says, "Kanemaru told me about Sawamura's condition."

Yukari sighs, "Did he, now…?"

"Yes…" Chris says, "I was wondering if you can explain in detail about what you found."

Yukari nods and returns to her seat to take her notebook out. She then returns to Chris and explains her findings about Sawamura's condition to him.

"I see… so it wasn't as obvious the first few practice matches," Chris says.

"He doesn't have a good control in the first place, so I didn't think too much into it," Yukari says, "During the match with Yakushi, I think it's more obvious because he's frustrated. Furuya had been doing well since the beginning, and I guess Kantoku gave him a harsh reminder that the possibility of him being Furuya's reliever is higher than him being the ace," she pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration, "I should've noticed it earlier…"

"Don't blame yourself; you couldn't have known," Chris says with a small, comforting smile, "Then, what do you think Miyuki's going to do?"

"As a captain, I think he will focus on the team over Sawamura. Our batting lineup isn't as strong as the previous team, so I'm sure he'll prioritize that," Yukari says.

"What are _you_ going to do, then?"

Yukari sighs, "Honestly, since it's a mental problem, I feel out of my depth. I've read up on yips, but pretty much every article that I read says that it has no known cure. I believe he has no choice but to overcome it by himself," she then looks out the window, then returns her gaze to Chris, "I know I'm supposed to focus on the team as well, but I feel like if I give up on Sawamura for the sake of the team, we'll lose something important. So what I can and will do right now is just believe in him."

Chris smiles, "Personally, I think that's the best thing we can do for him at this moment," he pats Yukari's head, "But knowing him, he'd just come out of it stronger than ever. Don't you think?"

Yukari smirks, "Yeah, I think so. He's troublesome like that," she then looks straight at Chris, "But he _might_ need a push. Not from me, and not from Kazuya… but from someone he respects," she then nods at Chris, "Just think about it, Chris-senpai."

xXx

For the fall tournament, the 260 schools from east and west Tokyo are split up into four tournament groups, and the top two schools from each group advance to the final tournament. The team that wins earns a ticket to the national invitational, or Senbatsu. Seidou's first match for the group stage is going to be held on Sunday, September 12 in Seidou.

On one afternoon practice, after a week, Kataoka finally lets Sawamura start batting and fielding practice. Even though he's being put in the outfield, he's finally joining in with the other players on the same field. He accepts it with no complaints. At least, not until Kataoka announces that Furuya will be pitching for the fielding practice.

Even though he doesn't do well in catching the balls, Sawamura manages to throw to the infield just fine.

"So he's in the outfield first now?" Oota asks, "You put him back with the team sooner than I expected."

"He's been running this past week and it's helped him regain his will. If he had no will to improve, he'd just continue staring at the ground."

Oota's eyes widen, "That's why you had him run?"

"In the end, it all comes down to his will," Kataoka says.

Yukari watches as Sawamura runs back and forth trying to catch the ball. At the very least, she's glad to see that he doesn't look as down.

Before they knew it, it was September 12. For their first group stage match, Seidou is going up against Toyosaki High School from East Tokyo. Their starting pitcher is Furuya, who is wearing the uniform number 1. Even though he walked off in the seventh inning, they manage to gain their first win with the score of 6-0.

Looking at the score, Yukari can't say that she's satisfied. After having a look at the tournament bracket, Yukari knows that the schools they're going up against are, for lack of a better word, easy wins. They should've been able to finish the game in the fifth inning, but they only managed to score six runs in total and played all nine innings.

A couple of days after the match, it rains when it's time to practice. Yukari rolls her eyes when Sawamura and Furuya are trying to outrun each other, making the warm-up practice look like a sprint race.

"It looks like you're all warmed-up," Kataoka says to the first years.

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Sawamura. Go in the bullpen today," Kataoka says, "Ichikawa, come."

Yukari nods and follows the first years, Kazuya, Kataoka, and Ochiai to the bullpen. Furuya sits on the bench as he waits his turn to pitch. While Kazuya catches for Sawamura, she stands beside Kariba on the side of the bullpen with a camcorder, her notebook open on a new page to keep track of Sawamura's improvements.

"Nice ball! It's looking good!"

And Kazuya isn't wrong. Sawamura is pitching just fine. But Yukari knows that his problem is rooted deeper than that. After a couple more pitches, Kataoka steps into the batter's box.

"Alright. I'll stand as a batter next. Throw inside."

Yukari notices Sawamura flinching. She figures something like this is going to happen sooner or later. There must be a reason why Kataoka put Sawamura in the roster. What she doesn't know is whether Kataoka will use Sawamura for the fall tournament or not.

Kataoka puts on his batting helmet and stands on the right-handed batter's box.

"Make sure you get his form on video," Kataoka says to Kariba.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Kataoka gets ready to bat and eyes Sawamura, "Let's go."

Yukari bites her lower lip when Sawamura fails to do what he managed to do before Kataoka stepped in: throw into Kazuya's mitt.

xXx

After dinner, some of the players gather in front of the TV in the cafeteria to watch the video that Kariba recorded earlier. Yukari sits in between Sawamura and Kazuya with her notebook that has the drawings of Sawamura's various pitching forms open.

"This is the form without any batters," Kariba explains as the video plays. He presses a button on the remote control, "And this is the form with Kantoku. It looks the same in the beginning, but in the end…" he pauses the video right after Sawamura lets the ball go, "…his arm isn't swinging down enough. Right here," Kariba says as he points at the screen.

"What? Are you sure?" Kazuya asks.

"I'm good at finding differences," Kariba says.

"Is it true, Yuka-chan?" Kazuya asks. Yukari asks Kariba for the remote and watches the before and after video repeatedly as she looks back and forth from the TV to her notebook. She sighs.

"Kariba, don't you have other footage of Sawamura after Kantoku stepped in?" Yukari asks.

"W-Well… this is the only one with the most obvious difference…"

"We can't just make a conclusion out of one video. I know you tried to find a difference in his forms, but with just one video to prove it, it's not enough," Yukari says, "Besides, if the problem is that obvious, it wouldn't be such a big deal."

"Y-Yes… I'm sorry…"

Yukari sighs, "Don't look so down. You did a good job on finding the difference. Thank you, Kariba. This might help."

Kariba lights up a little and says, "Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"I guess we can start there. It's better than nothing," she says, looking at Kazuya.

"But with this much subtlety, we can't really say much to him," Kazuya says under his breath.

"Yeah…" Yukari says. On the corner of her eyes, she can see Sawamura gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Sawamura, you should stop thinking so much. It's not like you had good control anyway, and you're stupid," Kazuya says. Yukari rolls her eyes as she leans back on her seat so that she wouldn't be in the way of the two of them.

"M-Miyuki-senpai, that's…"

Kazuya cuts Kariba off, "Huh? Why do you look so surprised, Sawamura? Isn't that the truth?"

Yukari slams her hand on the table, shocking everyone in the room, "Stop it. It's late. All of you should get some rest."

"I-Ichikawa-senpai…"

"Oh, sorry. I was just being polite. What I meant is that you guys are in the way of my data taking. Get out of here," Yukari says as she spins her pen in her left hand. The first years are quick to leave the room, followed by Nori. She sighs in exasperation when Kazuya doesn't leave, "That includes you, Kazuya."

"Oh, come on. How can I let my girlfriend alone at night in this kind of place? The least I can do is to walk her back to her room, just in case someone dangerous is stalking her."

"You're the most dangerous one here," Yukari says as she plays the video again. She sighs in frustration. She wishes this isn't the only footage of Sawamura's form when the head coach is in the box. She looks at her notebook and frowns in concentration, trying to find differences in her stick-figure drawings of Sawamura's forms that she drew earlier. She winces in pain when her chest starts to pulse painfully, even just slightly.

"By the way, why did Oota-buchou called you earlier?" Kazuya asks.

"He asked me if I have data on Tokyo's strong teams. Maybe our new assistant coach is trying to familiarize himself with our surroundings," Yukari answers.

"You gave him your notebook?! Do you think he can read it?!" Kazuya asks in mock panic.

Yukari hits his head with her notebook, "Are you an idiot? I rewrite every note I make in another notebook that can be read by normal people. It took me hours, but I thought at some point Kantoku might want it."

Kazuya rubs the spot that Yukari hits and sighs in relief, "Good. I thought you're gonna chase off Coach Ochiai by your horrendous handwriting."

"Like I would stop him from leaving," Yukari says scornfully. Kazuya raises an eyebrow.

"I assume you don't like him?"

"Do I have to answer that?" Yukari asks rhetorically. She sighs sharply, "I just don't have a good feeling with him, that's all," she says as she remembers what Ochiai said and the way he said it.

"Well, your bad feeling is usually right, but you ought to give him a chance first, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he puts an arm around Yukari's shoulders. Yukari visibly relaxes and Kazuya smiles, "You okay?"

Yukari takes a deep breath and shakily releases it, wincing when the air doesn't reach her lungs, "I'll be fine."

Kazuya doesn't look convinced, but he figures that she wanted to be left alone, so he nods, "Don't stay up too late, Trainer-san. And bundle up. It's getting kinda cold after the rain."

"Shut up, I'm not a trainer yet. And I'm not a kid," Yukari protests. But she doesn't protest when Kazuya kisses her temple and keeps his lips there for longer than necessary. He pulls away and pecks Yukari's cheek before completely pulling away.

"Good night, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he leaves the cafeteria.

"Good night, Kazuya."

xXx

The next Sunday, on September 19, Seidou manages to win against Metropolitan Mino from West Tokyo with the score of 8-0. The game was called in the seventh inning with Furuya pitching from start to finish. But of course, there are things that Yukari has problems with. His pitch count was too high, he gave up too many free walks, and he didn't pace himself at all. Thankfully, Kazuya points out all of these flaws to him after the match, so she doesn't have to go out of her way to scold him.

After their match is done, another match is being held in Seidou. The winner of the match will be up against Seidou in the next match, so Yukari uses this opportunity to gather data. After dinner that night, most of the starting players gather in front of the TV to watch the video of the match earlier. Yukari watches it to fill the holes she might have left during the match itself.

After the players have started to disperse, Yukari stops the video and leaves the cafeteria with the DVD in hand. She walks past the indoor practice building and sees Chris, Kazuya, and Kataoka standing by its doors. She approaches them and she can see Sawamura pitching to Kariba with Kanemaru in full protection batting for him.

"I assume you've said something to him, Chris-senpai?" Yukari asks.

"I only gave him the push he needed."

"I'm sorry I had to ask you for help," Kazuya says to Chris.

"It's fine," Chris says, "I wanted to tell him myself, too. I hope this helps him get over the fear."

"Thank you, Chris-senpai. I knew that if it's you, Sawamura would've listened," Yukari says.

"Now, it's all up to how he overcomes it," Kataoka says.

Yukari sighs, "Should we just leave them now, Kantoku?" she asks as she returns the DVD of the earlier match.

"Let him pitch for a while," Kataoka says, accepting the DVD from her, "I'll take care of them later."

"I understand," Yukari says as the four of them walk back toward the dorm.

"By the way, Chris… are you doing okay?" Kataoka asks, "I mean, I know you're doing fine academically."

"I'm going through the physical training my father gave me," Chris answers.

Kataoka smiles, "Take it slow. Your baseball career has only just begun, after all," he says before leaving for his room.


	26. Chapter 26

The next day, Seidou is going up against Seisho Academy. Yukari took a peek at the bullpen that morning and saw that Furuya and Sawamura were both doing pretty well. Furuya had been throwing high pitches, but she could tell that his pitches have power. She _was_ taken aback by Furuya's performance in the match itself, though.

Furuya gave up four walks in the first inning alone. It was the first two runs Seidou had given away in the tournament. He just didn't seem to be able to relax, for some reason. Not even a talk from the fielders seemed to calm him down. He gave up his third run right after the fielders gather in the mound.

"T-This is terrible!" Oota says as he starts to panic, "It's just the first inning!"

"Get Kawakami," Kataoka commands.

"Eh?"

"Furuya!" Kataoka calls out. Furuya flinches at his call. Kataoka points to the left field, "Left field."

 _Can't be helped. If this goes on, we'll just lose; embarrassingly,_ Yukari thinks.

Thankfully, they don't. The only other run they lose is right after Nori replaced Furuya, and the match ended at the top of the ninth inning with the score of 6-4 in Seidou's favor. But even though they managed to win, the result is extremely disappointing. Seisho, who is the losing team, actually looks more energized as they leave Seidou grounds, whereas the atmosphere in Seidou's dugout is darker than ever.

Yukari stands beside Oota, keeping her distance from Kataoka, because she knows that he is _angry_ , and he's extremely intimidating when he is.

"Is this the game you wanted to play?" Kataoka asks lowly, "You pitch all out without even trying to pace yourself. Out of frustration at being taken off the mound, you swing recklessly at bat, and don't focus on defense. You feel restless over a measly four run deficit, and you make easy mistakes. You mistake aggressiveness for rashness, and swing at a difficult pitch right off the bat. Did you already forget the summer, Miyuki?"

Yukari winces as she looks away. Maybe saying that the head coach is angry is an understatement. He's _furious_.

"Why do you train so hard every day?! For this exact day! You don't truly understand the value of one run, and that's why you play like this! It's still the group stages? Did you think you wouldn't lose because we had an easy group?! Don't get arrogant! If you can't play every game as one team, how do you think you'll get to Koshien?!" Kataoka yells.

It's been a while since Yukari has witnessed Kataoka losing his temper at the team. He has always been a tough coach, but he rarely raises his voice at the team in anger. She can tell how disappointed he is at the team.

"You guys are banned from training with balls! Go run until I tell you otherwise!" Kataoka eyes the players, "Am I clear?!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

 _Even their reply isn't in sync anymore…_ Yukari thinks as she sighs. The players then start to run around the field.

"Ichikawa. Keep an eye on them," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir. You've worked hard today," Yukari says as she bows at Kataoka, Oota, and Ochiai as they leave. When she straightens up, she sighs again.

"If you keep sighing, happiness is going to leave you, Yukari!"

"Sachi…" Yukari turns to look at the managers as they approach her.

"Kantoku sure is mad, isn't he…?" Yui asks.

"I understand why, though. That wasn't our best," Sachi says.

"It's because they _sucked_ , that's all there is to it," Yukari says in a clear and slightly louder voice as the players run in front of them. She can see the players flinching, especially Kazuya, but they know they can't refute. Instead, they raised their voice when they run.

"Y-Yukari…"

"It actually hurt my eyes watching that match…" Yukari says as she rubs the bridge of her nose, "Haruno, please turn the lights on. Yui, Sachi, sorry, but I might be late in helping out for dinner tonight. They're not going to finish any time soon, and I have to watch over them until they're done."

"O-Okay!"

"Leave it to us!"

"Don't work too hard, Yukari!"

The managers go to do what Yukari asked them to do, and Yukari sighs as she continues to watch over the running players.

After the players are all done running, Yukari figures that she should spare them from her lecture, since Kantoku had said everything that went wrong with today's match. She gives everyone their drinks and leaves them to get ready to help out for dinner.

xXx

Yukari is eating her dinner when Kazuya sits heavily beside her with his own dinner. He's already changed, so Yukari assumes that he came in after he's done taking a bath.

"You've worked hard," Yukari says without looking at him.

"You too," Kazuya says with a sigh.

"I assume your feet must be dead by now."

"Yeah, well, the hot bath helped."

Yukari shrugs, "I can't say you guys didn't deserve it. But be grateful that the punishment is not too bad."

"Huh? What could be worse than this?"

"On my second year here, the team played so badly in a scrimmage that Kantoku cancelled all practices and banned the team from using the school's baseball facilities, including the field, until two days before tournament starts. All they could do was run or use their own equipment outside of school. When practice started again, I thought everyone was gonna die from exhaustion. It was like three days of training camp's worth of practice done in one day," Yukari then shudders, "Not to mention Kantoku was seriously scary…"

Kazuya flinches at the information, "Well, I guess we should be thankful."

"You should," Yukari says. When Kazuya grows silent, Yukari takes a look at him and frowns, "Something on your mind?"

"No… it's just that Furuya and I got stopped by Coach Ochiai on the way back from the field," Kazuya starts.

"Oh? Did he say something?"

Kazuya scoffs, "He clearly said that he's willing to sacrifice the team to make Furuya the ace."

Yukari frowns, "Is that so…?"

"But what bothered me the most is that he told Furuya to hold off a little longer," Yukari's hand pauses mid-air for a split second at Kazuya's words. Kazuya doesn't miss her reaction, "What do you think he meant by that, Yuka-chan?"

Yukari shakes her head, "I don't know… the first time I met him, he talked as though he's going to take over the team. He clearly said to Kantoku that he might change the team however he wishes. Not to mention Oota-buchou and Rei-san have been acting kind of strange since Coach Ochiai's arrival."

"I knew something was up since he's not an alumnus… but don't tell me… could it be…?" Kazuya asks.

"At this point, we can only speculate… but without solid proof, I don't want to say anything," Yukari says.

"…why didn't Kantoku say anything?" Kazuya wonders.

"I don't know," Yukari says, "But whether it's true or not, it doesn't change the fact that I want us to show him the best side of our team… the side of us that he can be proud of."

Kazuya smirks, "Yeah. I feel the same way."

xXx

As a punishment from their poor performance during the last match, the Seidou baseball players have been doing the off-season menu for a couple of days. During this time, the team can see the demonic side of their head coach. Since it only consists of athletic menu and no fielding, batting, or pitching practices, the practice ends earlier than usual.

Yukari figures that the best part of it is that Sawamura has actually regained his voice and returns to being loud as usual. He has been running for a couple of practices before the group stage, so he's not as easily fatigued as the other players. She can hear a couple of players complaining, and she rolls her eyes. But before she can say anything to them, Zono beats her to it.

"Are you dumb? You have to learn to complete the task at hand. Isn't that what Kantoku said yesterday?"

"B-But we're in the middle of the season!"

"You're running because Kantoku forced you to? If you keep coming to practice like that, you'll be running like that forever," Zono says. Yukari smirks, "And he didn't say you can't use balls outside of team practice. Isn't that right, Miyuki?"

"Yeah," Kazuya confirms, "We've never finished practice this early before."

"Does that mean we can use the bullpen?!" Sawamura asks. Kazuya flinches.

"So I'm gonna go use the pitching machine now," Zono says, "You can join me, if you'd like. Let's go, Kominato!"

"Yes, sir!" Haruichi answers as he follows Zono to the indoor practice building.

"That Zono… sometimes he says the right thing at the right time, doesn't he?" Yukari asks with a small, satisfied smirk on her face.

"Makes you wonder who the real captain is. Hyahaha!" Youichi says mischievously.

"Well, it's not like it has to be me," Yukari's eyes widen slightly at Kazuya's words, "As long as someone understands Kantoku."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Youichi wonders.

"Don't mind him," Yukari says, "By the way… can you shut up, Sawamura? You're being annoying."

Sawamura, who has been chanting 'bullpen' since he found out that they can use the bullpen, stops. The players surrounding Yukari shudder at the change of temperature. With nothing left to do, Yukari silently leaves the field.

xXx

Three days ever since they started the off-season menu, Yukari goes to the field before everyone else after breakfast and she frowns when she sees the retired third years in the dugout.

"…what is going on here?" Yukari asks carefully.

"Oh, Ichikawa! You're early!" Jun says as a greeting.

"It's been a while, Ichikawa," Tanba says with a smile.

"Good morning, Ichikawa," Chris greets.

"UGA!"

"Good morning…" Yukari greets back warily, "Again, what is going on?"

"Just shut up and see," Ryousuke says with a chop to her head.

Yukari sighs and rolls her eyes, "Bossy as ever, aren't you, Ryou-nii…?" Nonetheless, Yukari obliges and sits on the bench as they wait for the players to come to the field. Not like she minded their presence; she actually misses seeing them on the field. She looks around at the third years and realizes that not everyone is there, "Where's Tetsu-san?"

"He's in Kantoku's room," Kadota says.

"HEY!" Yukari jumps a bit when Jun suddenly starts shouting. She holds a hand to her heart as she feels it racing. She's been really jumpy these past few weeks and it's not doing well for her already abnormal heart, "STOP WALKING SO SLOW, FIRST YEARS! RUN! I'LL WAIT TEN SECONDS! ONE! TWO!"

In more than ten seconds, the first years, followed by the second years, filter into the field. Yukari doesn't really understand, but the first years are then forced to sit seiza in front of the dugout.

"Jun-san!" Zono exclaims, "And why are so many third years here?"

"Stop asking questions!" Jun yells, "You were walking like a bunch of turtles to practice!"

"And _now_ you show up?" Miyauchi says when he sees Kazuya, "When did you second years become such big shots? Even Ichikawa came early!" the second years flinch at his words.

"Your performance in the group stage was just horrendous… so we came to bully you," Ryousuke says with a bright smile.

"You guys don't have guts! We'll hit you guys a thousand hits for practice every day! Prepare yourselves!" Jun shouts.

"EEEEEH?!"

Yukari watches in amusement at the devastation on the players' faces. _Oh, this is going to be fun…_

Jun acts as a supervisor for the off-season menu practice that day while the other third years and Yukari watch over them in amusement. At some point, Tetsu came back from the head coach's room and gathers the third years in the dugout. When Yukari tries to leave, Tetsu tells her to stay. They then tell her that they are going to play their retirement game earlier, and they are going to have a practice game with the current team for it. She is also told to keep it a secret from the team.

Yukari raises an eyebrow at this information. Usually the retirement game happens after the end of fall tournament, because the third years should've been busy with exams before that, and the current team should've been busy with preparing for the tournament. But according to Jun, that's not even the case right now. While Yukari agrees, she is suspicious of the third years' urgency to play their retirement game.

xXx

Sunday that week, September 26, is the date that has been set for the match between the retired third years and the current team.

"I'll be the umpire today," Kataoka says to Kazuya, "You're in charge of the team today."

"Eh?"

"Don't overthink it. Just do what you can the best you can," Kataoka says. He then turns to Yukari, "Ichikawa. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have you go back and forth as the trainer today."

"I understand," Yukari says.

"Good," Kataoka says as he leaves for the diamond.

"I heard Chris-senpai is coaching the upperclassmen team," Yukari informs Kazuya with a smirk, "You'll get the match you've always wanted to have against him."

Kazuya smirks, "Are you serious? Then this will be fun."

"So this is why they've been coming to practice lately…" Youichi says.

"They weren't just coming to torture us…" Zono says.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Of course they weren't. As sadistic as they may seem, they only have good intentions."

"I-Ichikawa, did you know about this?" Zono asks.

"I wonder…?" Yukari says with a teasing smirk.

"Ichikawa, you devil…" Youichi growls.

"OI! YOU'D BETTER GO ALL OUT!" Jun shouts from the other dugout, "We're not holding back just because you're in season! We're going all out! If you slack off, I'll kill you!"

Yukari smirks at the third years.

The first one on offense is the first-second years. Pitching for the third years is Tanba, and catching is Miyauchi. Youichi is the first-second years' first batter, and, as usual, he tries to hit the first pitch coming to him. Unfortunately, he jams it and fails to reach the first base in time. The second batter, Haruichi, manages to hit the first pitch that came to him, but due to Ryousuke and Kusunoki's fine play, he fails to reach the first base. The third batter, Kenjirou, gets struck out.

Yukari smirks as she shakes her head in amusement. _They're not kidding about going all out…_

"Looks like they're not holding back," Kazuya says to the team in front of the dugout, "We can't lose to the retired old men."

The players grin.

"Let's go!"

"YEAH!"

Pitching for the first-second years is Furuya. The first batter for the third years is Kusunoki. The first two pitches are strikes, and Kusunoki jams the third pitch. Yukari shakes her head when, even though he got jammed, Kusunoki managed to get the ball to the right field. The right fielder manages to catch it for their first out.

The next batter is Ryousuke, and in true Ryousuke fashion, he fouls Furuya's pitch from the beginning. After twelve pitches just for him alone, he gets walked to the first base.

The third batter is Jun, but Furuya's concentration is bugged by Ryousuke taking a big lead. Furuya pitches and Jun easily hits a double out of it. Yukari smirks. _Well, that's what you get for pitching high balls. Not to mention, the next batter is…_

Tetsu walks into the batter's box, looking as serious as ever. Furuya's first pitch is a splitter that should be called a ball, but because Tetsu swings, it's a strike. The second pitch is the same. He then pitches a ball. The count is 1-2, all splitters. When Furuya throws another splitter, Yukari shakes her head in amusement. _I'm disappointed, you two… you should've known that two pitches are more than enough for Tetsu-san to visualize the hit._

And just as Yukari predicted, Tetsu manages to hit it into the center field. Ryousuke from third scores as Jun runs toward home. Yukari narrows her eyes Tetsu told Jun to stop. Jun returns to third base and the third baseman catches the fastball from center. Yukari nods in approval when she sees where the ball is coming from. _Toujou… I knew it; he's good_ , she thinks as she writes in her notebook.

"DON'T GIVE UP!" Jun suddenly shouts at Toujou, "DON'T GIVE UP PLAYING PITCHER!"

Yukari rolls her eyes with an amused smirk. _Of course he'd say that, as fellow pitcher aspirants turned center._

When the next batter enters the batter's box, Yukari frowns. She then raises her voice, "Masuko-san, have you been watching what you eat?!"

Masuko – who has visibly gained weight – flinches, and Kazuya, who is already laughing because of what Kataoka said to Masuko, laughs even harder. Out of frustration, he jams Furuya's pitch, but it goes deep. Jun manages to run back home and Tetsu advances to second base.

"Hey, hey! Wanna switch, pitcher?!" Sawamura yells from the bullpen. Furuya flinches.

The next batter is Miyauchi. Furuya easily strikes him out. The first-second years then get their third out, and it's time to change. When Youichi returns to the dugout, Yukari notices his dark expression. She's not the only one.

"Why are you so quiet, Kuramochi-senpai?!" Sawamura asks, "We're down by two runs! We need to cheer from the dugout!"

When Youichi doesn't reply, Yukari raises an eyebrow, "Did something happen, Youichi-kun?"

Youichi grits his teeth as he squeezes his hands, "Jun-san told me that Kantoku is quitting the team after the fall tournament," Yukari inhales sharply at the information, and Youichi turns to look at her, "Not even you know it, huh, Ichikawa?"

"Zono! You're the next batter, aren't you?!" Miyauchi calls out from the catcher's box.

"Y-Yes! I'm sorry!" Zono says before running toward the batter's box. Yukari had only just realized that Kazuya managed to get to first base. Zono jams the first pitch and the third years manage to pull off a double play.

"Just what we ordered, idiots! You guys really trying to score?! I'm not feeling any pressure from you guys!" Jun shouts.

Zono and Kazuya run back to the dugout, Zono with his face down.

"Can't say anything back, can you? You're so out of it," Kazuya says to Zono.

"Miyuki!" Youichi calls out, "Did you know about it?"

Kazuya looks confused and he looks at Yukari for guidance. He raises an eyebrow when Yukari only sighs, "Know what?" he asks. Youichi clicks his tongue and grits his teeth.

"Kazuya… Kantoku really is leaving the team after fall tournament," Yukari says. Not only Kazuya, but Furuya, who had been too focused on batting after Kazuya, and Sachi, who was concentrating on scorekeeping, look taken aback by the news.

"Wait, 'really is' leaving the team?" Kenjirou wonders.

"What are you doing?! Get into the field!" Kataoka commands.

"Yes, sir! We'll be right out!" Kazuya replies. Yukari decides to help Kazuya with his gears so that they can get to the field faster. After he's all geared up, he says, "Okay, let's go!"

"…what's wrong with you?" Zono asks, "Doesn't it bother you? You actually knew, didn't you?"

"Huh? Of course not. Yuka-chan and I just thought maybe that could be the case since the new assistant coach isn't an alumnus," Kazuya says. The players, particularly the second years, don't look happy with his answer. Kazuya puts his catching helmet on, "In any case, we can talk about this later. Let's focus on the game right now. The third-years went out of their way for us."

The players then run into the field with heavy hearts. Sawamura then turns to look at Kanemaru, "Does this kind of stuff happen often, Kanemaru?"

Kanemaru sighs, "Well, it's definitely not a rare case, especially from schools like ours that aim for Koshien."

Yukari sighs. _Kanemaru is right. I knew that Kantoku can't stay here forever, but… I just didn't think that he would leave so soon…_

"Okay, let's do this! These guys all look asleep, so give them a wake-up call, Sakai!"

"Okay!"

"Especially that pitcher! He can't even throw where he wants!" Furuya flinches at Jun's words, "Let's kick him off the mound! Crush those whippersnappers!"

"Furuya!" Kazuya calls out, "Don't worry about pacing! Just go all out!"

Yukari's eyes widen Kazuya's words. Furuya looks taken aback.

"These guys aren't easy to take out, so don't worry about pacing and just throw the best pitch you can!" Kazuya then grins, "Let's crush these third years by force!"

 _Interesting… what do you have in mind, Kazuya…?_ Yukari wonders with a smirk as she gets ready to take notes.

"We're gonna be doing some head-to-head face-offs, so be sure to pick up all the hits over there!" Kazuya yells out to the fielders.

"Are you nuts?! Furuya's going crazy!" Youichi yells. And he's not wrong. Ever since Kazuya told him to go all out, Furuya's aura goes all out first, "You're gonna turn him into another idiot!"

"He's right! Give us more precise and witty instructions like a true captain would!" Sawamura yells out. Yukari rolls her eyes. _He doesn't even realize that_ he's _the other idiot Youichi was talking about._

"Bring it on, Miyuki! We'll take you on! Don't knock yourselves out with a bunch of walks!" Jun shouts from the dugout.

Yukari smirks in amusement when Furuya actually manages two strikeouts in a row and gets their third out with no runners.

"Are you two idiots?! Those were mostly right down the middle!" Youichi scolds as the players return to the dugout, "Furuya, put away your aura! You're not gonna keep pitching like this, are you?!"

"Of course we are," Kazuya answers in stride.

"Huh?! It's not gonna work against the top of their lineup! It's too reckless!" Youichi tries to reason. When Kazuya laughs, he raises an eyebrow.

"But… isn't it exciting?" Kazuya asks. Yukari chuckles at his words and at the reaction Youichi and Zono give him. Kazuya takes his helmet off and takes a deep breath, "I know it's not easy finding out about Kantoku right now, but we're in the middle of a game. The third years are giving us their best. The least we can do is pay them respect and answer in kind."

The players all gape at Kazuya and the game continues. Before they know it, the third years have already gotten their second out.

"I think it'll be difficult to hit off Tanba-san today," Kazuya says, "We need to target one pitch and swing offensively until we're cornered. If we get a runner, we'll need to follow up to get into scoring positions. Let's do what Kantoku tells us every day."

All of a sudden, the third years get their third out and it's time to change. Yukari then yells out, "Tanba-san, why couldn't you do that during the summer?!"

"Ichikawa is right, damn it! I can't believe your leg cramped!"

"Shut up! I've been thinking about that too, damn it!"

Yukari shakes her head as the first-second years filter into the field.

"Let's switch gears! We'll catch up slowly!"

xXx

At the bottom of third, the first-second years already got two outs with Ryousuke on first. Ryousuke manages to steal the second base while Furuya gets a strike from Tetsu. He then fouls the next pitch, getting the second strike. Ryousuke steals again, and Furuya pitches. Yukari's eyes widen in shock when Tetsu gets struck out.

"WHOA! HE STRUCK OUT TETSU-SAN!"

"No way, Furuya! That was a fluke!" Sawamura says.

"That was nice and low! Best pitch today!" Kanemaru says.

 _His fifth strikeout in the game_ and _he actually managed to strike Tetsu-san out. Unbelievable_ , Yukari thinks as she shakes her head. When the players return to the dugout, Yukari smirks at Kazuya, "It's a good thing you got lucky today. Knowing Furuya, he could've destroyed himself with four balls."

"I know, right?" Kazuya says, grinning when Furuya flinches at their words.

"All right!"

"We're back to the top of the lineup!"

"Let's do this, Kuramochi!"

"Kawakami, Sawamura!" Kazuya calls out, "Make sure you guys can go in at any time!"

"O-Okay–"

"I'm ready! I can go now!" Sawamura yells, cutting Nori off.

"It's too soon! It's not every day you get to experience such a thrilling lineup," Kazuya says with an excited look on his face.

"Oi," Youichi calls out in a low voice, "I get Kawakami, but Sawamura too?"

Yukari eyes Sawamura, who is consoling Furuya who is ignoring him.

"Yeah," Kazuya confirms, "I want him to experience this."

"It would be a great investment for him. Not to mention he can show off what he can do to Chris-senpai whom he worships so much," Yukari says. Kazuya is silent, and Yukari eyes him, "Kazuya…?"

"Let's win the fall tournament," Kazuya suddenly says. Everyone looks shocked at the sudden declaration.

"W-What are you saying, all of a sudden?" Zono asks.

"We don't have the tournament schedule yet, and maybe it'll just put more pressure on the team, but if we win in the fall tournament, we'll go to Senbatsu."

Yukari smirks. _I see where you're going with this, Kazuya…_

"I don't know if Kantoku or the school decided it, but if we make Koshien, he can't quit," Kazuya says with a grin. Yukari can see some of the players, especially the second years, looking doubtful of Kazuya's words.

"Well, that's that…" Yukari says as the players look in her direction, "But to get there, you guys have to show Kantoku what you're really made of here. The third years have given us the opportunity to regain Kantoku's faith in us again. Don't let it go to waste."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

The game continues and Youichi is batting first. He finally manages to reach first base.

"Okay! Let's follow up!" Kazuya says.

As Haruichi is batting, Youichi manages to steal second base with a dive. Haruichi manages to hit the next pitch, but Ryousuke catches it. Fortunately, Youichi manages to return to second base before Kusunoki can step on the base. Kenjirou gets struck out quickly. When he and Kazuya cross paths, Yukari notices Kenjirou looking more frustrated. Kazuya must've said something to him.

"Damn it!" Kenjirou curses.

The first pitch is a strike and Kazuya fouls the next pitch. Yukari notices the course of the third pitch and shakes her head. _Tanba-san… did you forget who your battery partner is for the whole summer? Of course he'll see it coming_ , she smirks. Kazuya easily hits Tanba's forkball for an RBI single.

"Okay! The game's just getting started!" Youichi yells.

"Don't get cocky from a single run! We're not that easy!" Jun shouts.

Furuya gets switched out with Nori at the bottom of fifth and at the top of sixth, the first-second years manages to get another run. Nori gave up one run during the bottom of sixth, but then he managed to hold off the cleanup batters with the help of the fielders. During the seventh and eighth innings, neither side gains a run. Yukari can't help but smile at the fine play the first-second years are doing.

At the top of ninth, Yukari scoffs in amusement when Zono manages to hit a home run off of Tanba. Not even Zono himself can believe it, since he just stands there, gaping in the batter's box for a while until he realizes that he can run around the diamond. Yukari chuckles when he runs faster than usual. _Well, it's about time he hit like himself… he's been trying to hit to the right field when it's not exactly his style. And is he crying?_ Yukari shakes her head with an amused smirk.

When he returns to the dugout, Zono roars.

"Nice batting, Zono-senpai!"

"We've tied the game! Let's turn this around! Hyahaha!"

"It would've been better if there are runners on base…" Yukari offhandedly comments, making the rest of the players flinch. She then smirks at Zono, "Nice batting, Zono. You should've been batting like that from the start."

Zono's face flames up as he grins widely.

"Sawamura," Kazuya calls out, "You're in the next inning."

Sawamura widens his eyes at the information.

"Thanks to Zono-senpai's home run, you got your chance!" Kariba says.

"I'm not gonna ask for any inside pitches today," Kazuya says, "Let's focus on the outside," when he sees the serious look on Sawamura's face, he smirks, "I just want to know one thing. As you are now, are you useful to the team or not?"

 _I want to know that too_ , Yukari thinks as the other players gape at the harshness of Kazuya's words. The third years get their third out and it's time for Sawamura to prove his worth.

"Now, let's do this," Kazuya says to Sawamura with a smirk.

"Eijun-kun, we've got your back!"

"Focus on the first batter, Sawamura!"

"One at a time!"

Sawamura holds a hand to his chest, and then Tetsu calls out, "Kantoku! We're switching players!" he then turns to the third year players who were in the second string, "You guys had better be ready too."

"Of course! We're ready anytime!"

"We're deploying all of our lethal weapons! You'd better be ready, Sawamura!" Sawamura flinches at Jun's words.

Yukari's eyes widen when Chris steps into the batter's box.

"Chris for pinch hitter! Take that!" Jun shouts. Yukari lets a small smile out and shakes her head with a chuckle. _Well, this is the best time for Sawamura to show Chris-senpai what he can do. Go all out, Sawamura. This is the only thing you can do to repay him for everything he did for you._

Yukari has her pencil ready so she can draw Sawamura's ball trajectory and form. Sawamura winds up and pitches. She winces when he pitches right to the middle, and Chris fouls it because he swung late. Sawamura pitches another one right down the middle, and Chris fouls it again. This happens for the next two pitches, until finally Sawamura manages to throw a pitch on the outside corner.

 _That was a ball, though…_ Yukari thinks.

"Ball!" Kataoka announces, confirming Yukari's thought.

"W-Wasn't that pretty good for Sawamura?" Kanemaru asks.

"Nice ball! That was a good one!" Youichi says.

Sawamura pitches again and Yukari's right hand immediately moves to draw this pitch's course. Chris manages to hit this pitch, but Haruichi manages to catch it. The game continues and the first-second years got their third out with the help of the fielders. He manages to hold off the third years by giving out no runs.

 _He still can't control his new pitch yet, but he managed to find rhythm with only outside pitches. This is a good start_ , Yukari thinks. She then sighs with a wry smile. _If he manages to hone the outside pitch and gets his inside pitch back… how diverse of a pitcher will he be…? Especially if he learns a breaking ball,_ she thinks as she shudders. _I'm kinda scared but excited at the same time._

At the end of the ninth inning, the scores are tied. Before the players can line up, Kataoka announces, "Not yet!" the players who are running toward the field to line up stops, "The game's not over yet. Some of the third years haven't played yet. We've come this far. Let's play it all out."

Yukari smiles at the third years. All of a sudden Sawamura bows at Kataoka, yelling, "Shogun! It's an honor!" Yukari rolls her eyes at that.

The third years then get ready for defense and Yukari smiles in excitement when she sees Chris in full catching gear.

"Kaneda and Kawashima, you guys should warm up too," Kazuya says to the other second string players.

"Okay!"

"How about you warm up too, Yuka-chan?"

Yukari's eyes widen at Kazuya's words. _I want to, but… my doctor hasn't given me the okay to return to catching_ , she thinks as she shakes her head with an apologetic smile, "I'll pass. I just wanna watch today."

Kazuya looks a little bit disappointed, but doesn't push it. Yukari's eyes widen when she sees Jun taking the mound. She then sighs. _Poor Chris-senpai…_

"I'll put an end to this game, so you'd better be prepared!" Jun shouts.

"YEAH!"

"Hyahaha! Jun-san, can you throw strikes?" Youichi asks.

"When there's a will, there's a way!" Jun shouts.

"Hyahaha!"

"Calm down, Isashiki!"

"He's provoking you!"

"I am calm, stupid!"

"The pitcher's short-tempered! Be careful of dead balls!"

"What did you say?!"

Yukari chuckles as she shakes her head. _Having fun, aren't they…?_ She sighs as she watches Jun warming up and rolls her eyes. _His pitches are as wild as ever…_ she then opens one of her older notebooks that has the third years' data in it since their first year and gets ready to gather more data on them.

In the end, after fourteen innings with no runs added, the third years reign supreme with one last run at the bottom of fourteenth. Before she knows it, the game is over and the three grades help out with tidying up the field, including Yukari. They finish after the sun has begun to set. The first-second years line up in front of the third years.

"Thank you for today!" Kazuya leads.

"THANK YOU!"

"I heard you guys weren't doing well, but you played pretty well. I'm relieved," Jun says.

"Though we won in the end," Ryousuke says.

"No, no, please… we just didn't want to leave a bad taste in your mouths," Kazuya says,

"HUH?!"

"You've learned to talk big, haven't you…?" Ryousuke says lowly.

"We're still lacking as a team, but we'll just do what we can individually," Kazuya says.

The third years smile at their underclassmen.

"Practice never lies," Yukari turns to Tetsu at those familiar words, "Those words speak the truth, and I have no regret for playing at Seidou. But baseball is competitive, and in a game, you either win or lose. There's no in-between," the third years then turn to leave with smiles on their faces, "Don't lose."

xXx

The next day, September 27, is the drawing day for the fall tournament. Yukari doesn't understand why, but Kataoka told her to go with Kazuya for the drawing. She suspects Kazuya and Rei are in on this.

"Maehara High School, number 29."

Yukari writes down in a piece of paper to keep track of the schools' numbers to make her own bracket.

"Yuka-chan, we're gonna get the brackets later on anyway, why do you bother?" Kazuya asks.

"Shut up. I'm bored," Yukari says before she sighs. She looks up just in time to see Shunpei standing up from his seat, "Oh, Shunpei…"

"Yakushi High School, number 41."

"Well… whatever bracket we get, or whoever we go up against, it doesn't matter," Kazuya says, "We just have to win."

"That's true," Yukari says with a small smile, "And everyone's ready to take the first step," she then looks up and nudges Kazuya, "It's our turn."

"Okay," Kazuya says as he stands up from his seat, "Wish me luck."

"Your horrible luck in drawing lottery is legendary; it wouldn't mean a thing even if I wish you luck. Just hurry up and get this thing over with," Yukari says nonchalantly. Kazuya flinches, but he strides to the front. Yukari waits until he holds up the number.

"Seidou High School, number 17."

Yukari looks down at her notes and shakes her head. _I knew it…_

When he returns to his seat, Kazuya just simply grins and flashes a peace sign. Yukari rolls her eyes, "Well, you _did_ say that it doesn't matter who we go up against… That means you're ready to take on anyone, right?"

"Of course," Kazuya says with a confident smirk.

Yukari answers his smirk with an evil one, "Then that means you're ready for practice, right? Looking at the bracket, with the current state of the team, there's just _no way_ will we be able to win."

Those words are effective to wipe the smirk off of Kazuya's face. He then sighs and rubs the back of his neck, "Well, can't be helped," he then smirks again at Yukari, "Get ready, Yuka-chan… because we're gonna take you and Kantoku to Koshien."

Yukari's eyes widen for a second at his words, but then she smiles softly at Kazuya, "Yeah… I can't wait."

* * *

 **And that concludes the first season! I'm currently in the process of writing the second season part, and it's going well. When it's done, I will start posting it. Because making a new title is troublesome, I will post the continuation in this same story. I will tag this story as completed until I'm ready to post the next part. Hopefully by the beginning of 2017, it will be ready to post. Thanks so much for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

**I'm back! This chapter continues directly from the previous chapter and is also parallel with Episode 4 of the second season. Just in case you can't bring yourself to re-watch the episode or re-read the previous chapter, it's the beginning of the fall tournament and Kazuya and Yukari had just attended the drawings. Enjoy!**

* * *

After the drawings for the fall tournament are done, Kazuya and Yukari receive the official tournament bracket, and Yukari has to shake her head when she reads it through. _I can already hear the guys complaining like crazy…_

And she's not wrong.

"Our first opponent is Teitou?!" Zono exclaims. The second year players are gathered in the cafeteria when they return and are now looking at the tournament bracket with dark looks on their faces.

"We're in the worst possible bracket," Youichi verbalizes his fellow second years' thoughts, "Your luck at drawing is so unreliable."

"And he had the nerve to ask me for luck," Yukari says with a nonchalant shrug.

"You should've given it to him!" Youichi protests.

Kazuya laughs, "But it's exciting, right?"

"It's not funny!"

Yukari sighs in resignation. She then looks at the other players in the room, "Get the others here. I'm gonna go ask Kantoku and Rei-san for the video."

xXx

After she requests Kataoka and Rei's presence for the strategy meeting, Yukari walks back to the cafeteria in deep thought. During the group stage matches, she only had to hold a very short meeting before the first and second match, and for the third match, she didn't even have to do anything because the players were all watching the match that determined their third match opponent, so they already have an idea about their plays. All she had to do was answer their questions when they have some.

This time, it's the first real tournament match strategy meeting that she has to lead without Chris. She's actually afraid of not being able to do a good job. As the players filter into the cafeteria, she puts the DVD in the player and waits for the head coach and Rei to enter the room. After everyone has arrived, she opens her notebook on their first opponent, Teitou.

"Well, then…" Yukari starts before clearing her throat.

"Don't look so nervous, Yuka-chan!"

"What are you getting all nervous for?! If Ryou-san were here, he'd have a field day with you! Hyahaha!"

"I-Ichikawa, it's okay! Deep breaths!"

Yukari's eyebrow twitch in annoyance, but thanks to that, she does calm down. She eyes the captain and his vice-captains with a cold look, "Shut up."

The three of them immediately comply. Yukari sighs and plays the DVD, "Teitou High School. They've been to both spring and summer Koshien twenty-one times and they've actually won twice. They do so well every year that them being in Koshien is already treated like a given. They were also the winner of the last regional tournament and represented East Tokyo in the Summer Koshien," she looks down at her notes when the video shows Teitou's catcher.

"This is their captain and catcher, Inui Kengo. He hits hard and throws hard," the video then shows Teitou's pitcher, "Mukai Taiyou. He's only a first year, but he has pitched at Koshien. This battery started at this year's Summer Koshien and led the team to the Best 16. They have a second year who can throw at 140 km/h, but he's probably their real ace. He is a southpaw sidearm, and his winning shot is a screwball. He has exceptional control and rarely throws meatballs," Yukari says as she presses the pause button right after Mukai releases the screwball, "The screwball is not a common pitch and it breaks in from behind for left-handed batters."

"Pass up the low breaking balls," Kataoka says, "Aim for the ones that come a little higher. Let's follow this simple strategy. We'll do more hit and runs too. Put pressure on the pitcher by running aggressively. They'll have a strategy against us too. It all comes down to your ability to do your own baseball."

The players nod at his words.

"First, learn to enjoy playing against strong opponents. Let's have fun and win!"

"Yes, sir!"

The players then filter out of the cafeteria as Yukari heaves a sigh.

"You're doing a good job, Yukari-chan," Rei says as she approaches her, "You don't have to be so nervous. You did a great job before Chris-kun became a manager."

"Rei-san," Yukari nods gratefully, "Thank you. I guess I've been depending on Chris-senpai too much; I've gotten rusty."

"Well, you have nothing to worry about, so relax," Rei says, "I'll be in Kantoku's office if you want to return the DVD," she says before leaving the cafeteria.

"I told you you'd be fine, Yuka-chan!" Kazuya says with a bright grin.

Yukari glares at him, "You said nothing of the sort."

"Man, I should've taken a picture! It's not every day we see you nervous, Ichikawa, hyahaha!"

Yukari rolls her eyes as she takes a seat, "Shut up," she then takes the remote in her hand as she rewinds the video from the beginning.

"You're gathering data right now?!" Youichi asks.

"No time like the present," Yukari says as she presses pause. She then opens her notebook and spins her pen in her hand, "Now you guys are in the way. Get out and don't come back until dinner."

xXx

Yukari innocently thought that it would be a normal practice the next morning. She inwardly curses her naïveté. Yukari and the Seidou players can only watch as Sawamura excitedly tries to pitch using a _completely_ different form: sidearm.

"What do you think of my sidearm?!" Sawamura asks with a proud look on his face. Yukari can't even begin to think where he got that pride, "I think it's usable!"

The players look at him with deadpanned looks.

"Yeah, that's funny," Kazuya says, his expression and tone contradicting his words. Sawamura gapes in shock.

"Hilarious," Youichi adds, sounding thoroughly unimpressed, "Good joke, Sawamura."

"W-Was it really that weird?" Sawamura asks, flabbergasted, "We're up against a southpaw sidearm pitcher next! As the only southpaw here, I thought I'd help out!"

The players look at him with wide eyes, "Heeh…"

"What's with that reaction?!"

"Did you think up that idea yourself?" Kazuya asks.

"Sir! I got a bit of advice from the sergeant, sir!" Sawamura says as he salutes Kazuya.

"Who…?"

"Sergeant…?"

Yukari's eyebrow twitches as she glares at Ochiai from the corner of her eyes.

"Boss! I'll pitch!" Sawamura shouts, seemingly oblivious to the current situation, "We have four days before the game! Just give me the go, and I'll pitch all I can! I could even go submarine, too, if you'd like!"

"Help out…?" Yukari asks coldly. Sawamura – and the other people in the vicinity – flinches at the sudden coldness, "It's so good to be dumb, isn't it, Sawamura…?"

"Y-Yukihime-senpai…"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Yukari asks with a genuinely angry look on her face; one that she wore when she was mad at Kazuya during the summer tournament against Yakushi. Not to mention she starts using ' _kisama_ ' instead of ' _kimi_ ', "We don't need a clown sidearm pitcher. You're interfering with practice. Go away."

Sawamura flinches as he glares half-heartedly at Yukari, who matches it with a cold, strong one of her own.

"Stand down, Ichikawa," the head coach says as he lifts a hand in front of Yukari. She relaxes slightly and winces a bit when she feels her heart constricting in pain. She then changes target of her glare to the assistant coach who is watching everything from the sidelines.

"Start warming up!" Kataoka commands. The team complies. The head coach then calls out to the southpaw, "Sawamura. I thought you were eagerly practicing your outside pitch. Why did you give that up?" Sawamura flinches as he looks up, "Trying to help out the team? Well, thank you for trying. But if you change your form to a sloppy sidearm, what will you have left?"

Sawamura's eyes widen.

"Miyuki," Kataoka calls out, "We'll have situational field practice again. Have the pitchers ready too."

"Yes, sir," Kazuya says.

"Batters, practice sign exchange with runners! Pressure the pitcher from the base!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Kantoku," Kazuya calls out to the head coach before he walks away, "Should I let Sawamura pitch as well?"

"Yes," Kataoka answers, "Tell him to pitch with his normal form. He's a valuable pitcher, and if he breaks his form right now, it'll ruin our chances of winning."

Yukari firmly glares at Ochiai, who is currently looking at Kataoka.

"Ichikawa," Kataoka calls out, then he continues with a low voice so only Yukari can hear him, "Calm down."

Yukari bites her lower lip as she squeezes her hands, looking at the ground, "Yes, sir."

The situational field practice starts and Yukari watches from the dugout with the other players. Yukari diligently takes notes on the fielders, runners, and the pitchers. Sawamura enters the mound and she waits.

"Sawamura, you look stiff! Relax!" Kariba shouts from the side.

Yukari smirks. _It's good to know he has a lot of allies._ She turns to look back at the mound and raises an eyebrow when she sees Sawamura's face. The southpaw pitcher is smiling creepily and Yukari has to take a step back in fear. _T-That's creepy…_

But when he loses that expression and pitches, Yukari is quick to draw the projectile of his pitch. She can't hold back a smirk. He throws right at the outside edge of the strike zone. _But does he really have to make that kind of expression?_ Yukari thinks as she shakes her head. When Kazuya tells him off about it, he doesn't even seem to realize that he was smiling at all.

Yukari watches Sawamura carefully and feels a small bit of the weight in her heart lift. He doesn't look confused anymore. He doesn't look like he's wavering. He's one step closer to the previous Sawamura, or even a new one. _But he has to work on that smile of his… it's super creepy_ , Yukari thinks as Sawamura smiles on the mound and pitches another ball to the outside edge, this time a ball.

"The ball goes away from the inside. It's not a bad practice, but a sidearm would have a bigger angle," Youichi comments. He then turns to look at Kanemaru and Toujou, "You guys played against Mukai in junior high, right?"

"He definitely has a bigger angle, but his use of ins, outs, and corners was just on a different level," Kanemaru explains.

"He got us good in the last tournament," Toujou adds.

"He got really good in his third year," Kanemaru says.

"Like Ichikawa said in the meeting, he rarely throws meatballs. He also finishes with a breaking ball. Most batters get jammed on his low pitch. Don't swing at the balls. That's the bare minimum in taking him down," Kataoka said.

"Yes, sir!"

xXx

The night before the match, the head coach announces the starting lineup. Furuya is their starting pitcher, and Zono is back as a cleanup. The previous day, during batting practice, under Kataoka's guidance, Zono managed to hit to the right field naturally. Yukari knows that he has what it takes to hit well; he just thinks too much.

"The weather report said it'll rain tomorrow, but we won't know for sure until the game. Prepare for the game and get a good rest tonight," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir!"

"I have one more thing to say," Kataoka announces, "We're playing against _the_ Teitou. They're not an easy opponent," the head coach then puts his fist on his chest, "However, don't overestimate your opponent or try to play differently. You are your own worst enemy," he then smirks at the players, "The quickest way to win is to play like you practice. Did anyone quit during the summer off-season training? No, right? You guys practiced just as hard as the retired third years did. No matter what, never give up. Have pride in the sweat you've dropped. I have faith in you. Do the best you can tomorrow."

Yukari looks down at her feet. Her heart is full; half of pride and happiness and the other half is of sadness. To her ears, it feels as though he was speaking his final words as a coach. She looks up and her eyes catch Kazuya's. The two of them don't speak out loud, but they understand what the other is trying to convey.

"Meeting adjourned."

 _We_ have _to take him to Koshien._

"Thank you!"

xXx

The next day, just as the weather report predicted, downpour falls over Edogawa City Baseball Stadium. The stands are filled with spectators, which doesn't shock Yukari at all. Considering that it is a match you can't watch in the summer regional tournament, not to mention the ones playing are the top teams from east and west, not even the rain will stop people from watching.

It's the top of first with Seidou on defense with two outs and a runner on second after a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Teitou's cleanup and captain, Inui, is at-bat. Furuya didn't start as well as Yukari had hoped, and Teitou obviously would want to take advantage of it. Furuya pitches a fastball, which Inui jams, but it goes into the left field. Thankfully, Asou Takeru, the second year left fielder, manages to catch it. Three outs and change.

"Wait for the pitch, then hit toward the right. Don't expect many freebies from him, so don't swing at whatever comes your way until you're cornered. On your first at-bat, be bold and ignore the low pitches," Kataoka tells the first four batters.

The first up is Youichi. Yukari keeps her focus on Mukai and draws his pitch's trajectory. The first one is a very clean in-low strike, and the second one is an in-high ball that almost hits Youichi on his head. The third pitch is an out-low strike. _The last one should be a breaking ball…_ Yukari thinks.

And just as she predicted, Mukai throws a screwball to the out-low corner that would've been called a ball if not for Youichi swinging his bat. Yukari knows that he couldn't help but swing at that pitch. _That pitch drops quite a bit_ … Yukari thinks as she studies her drawing of Mukai's screwball. She looks back up at Mukai and frowns in annoyance at the mischievous look in Mukai's face. _What an annoying brat…_

The first inning ended with neither school scoring a run. On the top of second, Seidou managed to hold off Teitou, and it's now the bottom of second with Furuya at-bat. He fouls the first two pitches, and the last pitch, Yukari is _damn sure_ that it's a ball, but the umpire deems it a strike. Yukari squeezes the pen in her left hand until the people in the dugout can hear a crack and feel a change of temperature.

"Ah… it's broken," Yukari says lifelessly as she looks at the halved pen in her hand.

"Y-Yuka-chan…" Kazuya calls out carefully.

"What a shame… I actually like this pen…" Yukari says with a sigh. She then turns to look at Sachi, who flinches when their eyes meet, "Sachi, do you have an extra pen? I'll return it to you after the match…"

"N-No… sorry, Yukari…" Sachi shakily says, half from the coldness of the rain plus Yukari's cold aura, and half from fear.

Yukari sighs harshly, "Well, can't be helped…" she says as she reaches under her bench to get her bag.

Yukari frowns when she starts to feel short of breath when she bends her body. When the dizziness comes, she puts one foot in front of her to steady herself as she takes her pencil case out of her bag. She then takes out the only other pen in her case – a red inked pen – and puts her pencil case back into her bag. She kicks her bag back under her seat as she straightens her posture to help her breathe easier. She winces minutely when she feels pain from her chest as she tries to wave off the dizziness.

"She's _really_ mad," Yukari hears Youichi says.

"Well, Yuka-chan really hates it when the umpire takes a side," Kazuya says.

"Now that you mention it, isn't the umpire a bit lenient with the low balls?" one of the players wonder.

 _The mitt doesn't move, and the ball sounds dry on the mitt. It's not just about Mukai's control, the catcher is also annoyingly good at catching_ , Yukari thinks. _Of course. The umpire loves it when a good battery comes around… but the umpire is supposed to be a neutral party_ , Yukari thinks in annoyance as the temperature continues to drop in the dugout.

"Yuka-chan," Kazuya puts a hand on Yukari's shoulder, "Keep your aura down. I know it's frustrating, but if the temperature goes lower than this, everyone would get stiff. It would be a pain to get them to relax again. Calm down," he says as he rubs Yukari's back.

 _He's right_ , Yukari thinks as she takes a deep breath. She frowns a little when the air doesn't reach her lungs. Instead of relaxing, her body grows a little stiffer under Kazuya's touch. He continues rubbing her back constantly, patting it from time to time, until Yukari relaxes.

"Are you calm?" Kazuya asks near her ear. She takes a deep breath, the air managing to reach her lungs this time, and she nods as she exhales, "Good. We're gonna show them and the umpire what we're really made of, so watch us carefully."

"You don't have to tell me that; I always do," Yukari answers easily. Kazuya smiles and squeezes Yukari's shoulder before leaving to talk to Furuya.

Before they knew it, Teitou gets their third out.

Unlike Mukai, who plays mind games with the batters, Furuya battles them with brute force. Not to mention Furuya's battery partner is the most aggressive catcher Seidou currently has. On the top of third, the battery manages to strike Mukai out, but the second batter gets a hit. The runner and the third batter attempt a hit and run, but with Kazuya's prowess, the runner has no chance.

Yukari smirks. Furuya is doing exactly what Kazuya told him to; focus on the batter and leave the runners to the fielders.

xXx

It's the top of fourth after Seidou failed to score a run in the bottom of third. The rain doesn't show any signs of stopping even though the clock shows that it's almost past noon. The weather forecast told them that it was supposed to stop before lunch time. Well, that didn't happen.

While Furuya managed to hold off the Teitou batters yet again. Seidou hasn't gotten a clean hit yet, but when they do hit forward, it goes straight to the fielders.

Yukari looks at the skies and frowns as the rain, instead of stopping like the weather report foretold, gets stronger, "Everyone, change your undershirts. No exception. Anyone who doesn't bring extra, come to me," she calls out.

"Yes, ma'am!"

The fourth inning ends with Seidou failing to score again.

"Switch gears! We just have to be persistent until we get the pitch we want," Kataoka says to Zono, who was the last one to get struck out.

"Yes, sir!"

"Zono," Yukari calls out, "Change your undershirt. Everyone's changed already. Hurry up."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

The players filter into the field, followed by Zono who falls behind a little after getting changed. Yukari bites her lower lip as she looks at the sky. _At this point, their undershirts would be drenched again in seconds…_ Yukari eyes her bag and counts the amount of extra undershirt she brought. _Hopefully the guys brought their own extras._

It's only the top of fifth. According to official game rules, in order for the game to be validated, seven innings are required to be played if it's raining. If the weather doesn't get any better, the match might get stopped and they would have to have a rematch another day.

The first pitch is bunted, and both Furuya and the third baseman, Higasa Shouji, are chasing after it. The ball stops right before the foul line because of the rain, but Higasa is too late, as the batter has reached first base. On the next batter, Furuya keeps throwing high balls, walking the batter to first base. Runners on first and second with no out.

As the rain gets stronger, Furuya's pitches are starting to rise. With the strong rain, the rosin bag Furuya uses to dry out his hand is starting to get useless. Kazuya then requests for a new rosin bag. On the next batter, Mukai, Furuya throws two balls in a row. Yukari notices that the last pitch Furuya threw was aimed at the ground.

 _Well, at least he's still using his head. I hope he did that because he realized his pitches are rising. If it goes over Kazuya's head, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. But if it bounces, Kazuya can stop it_ , Yukari thinks as Kazuya returns to the plate after he's done talking with Furuya on the mound. She eyes the skies again. _Aren't the officials gonna pause the game? If this rain doesn't let up anytime soon, no pitcher's gonna be able to throw right and someone might get hurt._

Mukai jams the next pitch, and Furuya manages to catch it and throws it to Higasa, gaining their first out. For the next batter, the first pitch Furuya throws is a splitter, which both Yukari and Kazuya figure that Teitou isn't expecting, since Furuya has been throwing fastballs from the beginning. The batter fouls the second pitch, but Kazuya manages to get the popped ball, gaining their second out. Furuya then proceeds to strike the third batter out.

"Nice pitch, Furuya!" the players in the dugout praise when the fielders return to the dugout.

"I got goosebumps, oi!"

"Nice focus," Kataoka praises with a smile, "Good fight."

Furuya looks extremely pleased with the praise.

"All right, let's go this inning!"

"Let's put some pressure on them this inning," Kazuya adds.

Yukari then notices that the umpires are gathering at the plate as the rain falls harder. Not long after, an announcement is made on the P.A. system as some people start to cover the home plate with a tarp.

"Due to the heavy rain, we have paused the game. Thank you for your patience."

Yukari sighs, "If any of you guys feel that your undershirt is too wet, change them now. I don't want anyone catching a cold."

Some of the players take her advice and go to change their soaked undershirt. She looks around the dugout and sees Furuya sitting at the back after he's done changing. _He was doing pretty well before the pause. I'm concerned he's gonna have a hard time refocusing after the pause ends. Is he going to be alright…?_

"LET'S GO!"

Yukari frowns when she can still hear Sawamura from the bullpen. She sighs in frustration as she pulls the strap of her bag with her foot and takes her bag on her lap. She takes her umbrella out of the bag and replaces the bag under the bench. She opens the umbrella and approaches the first year southpaw at the bullpen.

"…you're so good at selling yourself. I should learn from you," Yukari hears Kariba saying from the stands beside Sawamura as she gets closer to the bullpen.

"It's not just about selling myself!" Sawamura retorts, "I just can't sit around doing nothing!"

"Sawamura," Yukari calls out. Not only Sawamura, but Hiroshi, who had been catching for Sawamura, and Kariba straighten their postures when they hear her voice.

"Yukihime-senpai!"

"Are you trying to give me more work? If you catch a cold, I'm not taking care of _any_ of you," Yukari says.

"It's okay, senpai! I hardly catch colds!" Sawamura says proudly.

"Well, I guess it's true that idiots don't catch colds," Yukari says.

"Geh!"

"I know that it's frustrating," Yukari says to Sawamura, "He was doing really well; much better than during the group stages, in fact. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your health just to prove your point."

Sawamura looks down at his feet. Yukari sighs in frustration.

"Five more pitches. No more, no less. And then you return to the dugout and change your undershirt. You too, Hiroshi-kun. Got it?" Yukari firmly says.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Hiroshi says.

"Thank you, Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura says with a deep bow.

"Kariba, go and take shelter. We don't need you catching a cold too," Yukari says.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Yukari returns to the dugout. She folds her umbrella with a sigh.

"Is he coming back, Ichikawa?" Kataoka asks her.

"I gave him five more pitches. If he still doesn't come back after that, I give up," Yukari says with an exasperated sigh as she sits beside Sachi.

"What's Mukai's pitch count?" he then asks.

"I counted sixty-two," Sachi says. Yukari opens her notebook and echoes Sachi's statement.

"He hasn't thrown any meatballs yet, but his pitch count is pretty high," Oota says.

"This pause should've put Mukai off his game," Kataoka says, "If he throws any meatballs, swing at them no matter what!"

"Yes, sir!"

 _Now the question would be…_ Yukari then eyes Furuya, who seems to be sleeping at the back of the dugout. … _how much this pause is going to affect_ him _._


	28. Chapter 28

After a long pause, the game finally resumes with Seidou on offense.

Yukari smiles when Kazuya manages to hit a double off of Mukai's outside fastball. It seems as though his plays and batting have started to become more captain-like. _It could've been a fluke, but a hit's a hit._ The next batter is Furuya. As he walks to the batter's box, Sawamura screams out pointers to bunt.

"Sawamura! Get back in here! You're basically telling them our plan!" Kanemaru scolds him. Yukari is grateful that she doesn't have to waste her breath in reprimanding the idiot first year pitcher. She frowns when Furuya misses the sign to bunt. He pops the first pitch and the first baseman catches it. One out for Teitou.

When Furuya returns to the dugout, Kataoka glares at him.

"Furuya, you missed the sign," Zono tells him. Furuya's eyes widen as he realizes his mistake.

"Did you think you could score with a hit?" Kataoka asks, "Or were you standing there empty-headed? The game's already resumed!"

 _That could've been a big play, if he managed to send Kazuya to third. He's being too relaxed_ , Yukari thinks as she watches Kazuya reach third base after Teitou got their second out. The next batter, Higasa, gets struck out. Time to change.

"Switch gears," Kazuya tells Furuya, "We're up against their cleanup first. Let's be aggressive from the start. Let's go!"

"Show us your pitching from the last inning!" Youichi says.

"Furuya," Kataoka calls out. Furuya turns his head, "One out at a time. Get the first batter."

"Let's go!"

"Yeah!"

Yukari frowns when the rain seems to get stronger when it's time for Seidou to defend. _Is the weather playing games with us?_ She wonders as she turns back her focus to the game. Furuya's first pitch is a ball.

"Has he lost his focus from the pause?" Oota wonders.

"It seems so," Yukari says.

"Kawakami, can you go?" Kataoka asks.

"Yes, sir!" Nori says.

"Let's go!"

Yukari rolls her eyes when she hears Sawamura's shout from the bullpen yet again. After changing his undershirt like she told him to, he stayed in the dugout until it was time for Seidou to defend. He then dragged Hiroshi back to the bullpen.

"I'm stronger than the rain! I'm stronger than the wind! I'm stronger than the storm! I'm stronger than Teito, Furuya, and myself!"

 _What the hell is he going on about?_ Yukari wonders as she shakes her head. She watches as Nori approaches the bullpen and Sawamura looks staggered. Probably because Hiroshi told him to switch with Nori. He then stomps toward the dugout and stands in front of Yukari.

"Yukihime-senpai! Please catch for me!" Sawamura begs with a bow.

Yukari raises an eyebrow, "After completely ignoring my five-pitch limit, you dare ask me to catch for you?" Sawamura flinches at her words. Yukari sighs, "No way. It's raining and it's cold. Besides, I still have a match to watch. So can you step aside? You're blocking my view."

Sawamura then screams in frustration before he turns to another person. "Kanemaru! Come catch for me, Kanemaru!"

"Shut up! Don't call for me every time!"

"Well… he was practicing throughout the pause, too," Oota says.

Yukari shakes her head incredulously and refocuses on the match. It seems that Furuya has walked the first batter to first base. The next batter is Teitou's captain, Inui. Furuya pitches and Yukari frowns at the course of the pitch. Inui easily hits the ball deep between right and center field for a double.

The next batter hits Furuya's first pitch right between second and third base. The runner on third runs home. Asou gets the ball and throws it toward Kazuya as Inui runs for home. The ball bounces right by Inui's leg, but Kazuya is faster than Inui. He lifts his mitt with the ball in it right before Inui steps on the plate.

"Out!"

Yukari shakes her head with a smirk as Asou roars. _If Inui was just a little bit faster or Kazuya wasn't quick enough to catch that bounced ball, we would've lost two runs in a row._ Yukari thinks. _On the other hand…_ she turns to look at Furuya who looks lost in the diamond. _…he didn't even cover home just now. He was just standing there, watching everything happen. Where did his earlier focus go?_

Kazuya then asks for a time out and visits Furuya at the mound. Kataoka sends someone to the bullpen as the match continues. The messenger returns back with Sawamura.

"Sawamura. You've been warming up this entire time. Can you go right now?" Kataoka asks.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"This isn't an easy relief. But I want to see what you showed me against the third years during their retirement match."

Furuya doesn't seem to be able to refocus or get his shoulders relaxed as he keeps throwing balls. One of them even flies pretty high above Kazuya's head that he almost misses it. Yukari watches as Kazuya looks deep in thought. The head coach then steps out of the dugout with Sawamura beside him.

"Miyuki!" Kataoka calls out as he signs to the umpire for a time out.

 _Well, can't be helped. At this point, keeping Furuya on the mound would only hurt our chances,_ Yukari thinks.

Kataoka puts a hand on Sawamura's shoulder, "Have the situation in your head. One out, runner on second. The count is 2-0. They're going to swing at the first strike," Sawamura nods before he leaves for the diamond. Before he enters it, however, he bows at the people in it. The exchange is smoother than Yukari thought it would be, but she expected that Haruichi and Youichi had to push Furuya off of the diamond.

Yukari already has a shoulder pack filled with ice when Furuya arrives at the dugout. He lethargically sits on the back bench, and Yukari rolls her eyes at him, "You were already cooled down even before you reached the dugout, do you realize that?" she asks as she approaches him.

Furuya flinches at her words.

"You were way too relaxed during the pause. I can't believe you even slept through the first ten minutes of it. Take your uniform off and put this on," Yukari says as she hands him the shoulder pack, but he doesn't take it. She rolls her eyes again, "Kanemaru, can you help him cool down?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kanemaru says as he takes the shoulder pack from Yukari, "Oi, you're gonna trouble everyone if you keep being like this, you know…"

Yukari leaves them to return to her seat as Sawamura warms up with Kazuya. She has to admit that she's a kind of worried with Kataoka's choice, but she needs to believe in Sawamura. He did a great job during the match against the third years and again during the last simulation practice. If Sawamura manages to do a great job here, that means he could be used for the next matches.

Yukari looks half-afraid, half-disgusted when Sawamura smiles. When she asked him why he smiled like that, he told her that he was just trying to loosen up and relax his body before pitching. She figures that he unconsciously smiles because his whole body is relaxed. She then just told him that it was creepy and he had to work on it.

Sawamura pitches and Yukari smirks as the ball arrives in Kazuya's mitt, at the out-low side of the strike zone.

"Strike!"

Unbeknownst to Yukari, her body has started to shake a little out of excitement. She only just realized it when Sachi puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Yukari, are you okay? Are you cold?" Sachi asks.

Yukari scoffs out a laugh, "No… I'm fine," she says as she watches Sawamura with excitement. The batter fouls Sawamura's next pitch which is also an outside pitch. The count is 2-2. _Hopefully Teitou still doesn't know that Sawamura can only throw to the outside… if you think that it's going to be the inside course next, it would be helpful to us_ , Yukari thinks.

Yukari smirks when Sawamura manages to out the batter with an out-low pitch. The next batter jams his pitch. Higasa manages to catch it and throws it to Zono before the batter reaches base. Three outs and change.

"Nice pitch, you bastard!"

"Sawamura! You were so calm, I thought you were someone else!"

When Yukari sees Sawamura taking a deep breath, she puts her hands over her ears. Even through the makeshift earplug, she can still hear Sawamura.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Shut up!" Youichi says as he backhands Sawamura's head, "Don't yell in the dugout!"

"I-I'm sorry. I got carried away."

"Well, don't!"

"I just had a lot saved up inside!"

The people in the stand, who can clearly hear them in the dugout, laugh at their banter.

"All right! Let's turn this game around!"

Youichi hits his head once again, "I told you not to yell!"

"I'm sorry!"

xXx

They go into the next inning on offense. While the batters have started to be able to hit Mukai's pitches, the balls almost always fly toward the fielders. The first two batters are out, and next up is Youichi. The first and second pitches are balls, he fouls the third pitch, the fourth is another ball, and the last one is a screwball in the out-low corner that he almost swings at. He manages to stop himself. Yukari is glad he's quick to learn from his mistake. He gets walked to first base.

In true Youichi fashion, he takes a big lead as Haruichi takes his place in the batter's box. Yukari smiles when she hears the familiar sound of wooden bat hitting the ball. Haruichi has managed to hit the first pitch past the shortstop. Youichi takes his chances and runs toward third base as Haruichi arrives safely on first. Youichi dives for the base and Yukari winces. She catches his eyes to ask if he's okay, but judging by his grin, he's just fine.

The next up is Zono. She's a little bit worried because his swinging is still a little bit unstable; she doesn't know when it would be a hit or miss. This time, she hopes it's a hit, and a big one at that. _Come on, Zono. Kantoku has been giving you pointers, and you've proven to us that you can do it. Believe in yourself._

Yukari winces when Zono pops the first pitch and the fielder catches it for the third out. The runners return to the dugout and Seidou gets ready for defense.

Sawamura manages to get two outs with all outside course. The third batter manages to hit his first pitch, but Zono manages to catch it, getting their third out. It was an otherwise uneventful inning.

It's the bottom of seventh and Kazuya really doesn't disappoint today. He manages to get Seidou's second hit and reaches first base easily. Yukari shakes her head in amusement.

"Is that really the Miyuki-kun who couldn't hit anything unless there's a runner on second…?" Sachi wonders.

Yukari smirks, "Pitchers with good control are his favorite. They're easy to predict," _And easy to manipulate_ , she adds mentally, not wanting to scare Sachi any further than she already did that day.

Sachi laughs, "Well, I guess it's good that he can now hit something without runners!"

Yukari smirks as she nods in agreement. _It's been rough, but I'm glad you're starting to embrace your captaincy, Kazuya_ , she thinks as she looks at her boyfriend in the first base with pride.

The next one up is Sawamura. He bows respectfully at the catcher and umpire. Yukari is worried that the rain, which is starting to get heavy again, will hinder the course of Sawamura's bunted ball. She closes her eyes in regret when exactly what she was afraid of happening actually happened. The mud has stopped the ball right in front of the plate. _I shouldn't have jinxed it._

Inui catches the ball and throws it toward second, outing Kazuya, but fortunately Sawamura manages to get to first base in the nick of time. The next up at-bat is Kenjirou, and he hits the first pitch forward. The second baseman manages to catch it and steps on the base before throwing the ball toward first before Kenjirou steps on it. Double play. The seventh inning ends with neither school scoring a run.

The top of eighth, Sawamura manages to get the first two outs. The third batter is Inui. He doesn't swing at the first pitch. The second pitch is a ball, and he fouls the third pitch. _It would be hard to take him out with outside pitches alone… but what choice do we have?_

Yukari's eyes widen when she sees Kazuya stepping closer to the batter and putting his mitt near his chest. _Kazuya…_ she knows that by pitching to the inside, it will take Teitou's mind off of the outside pitch and shift their focus to the inside course, but she's not sure if it will work with no practice. She then turns to look at Sawamura's reaction.He doesn't look terrified, which is a relief for Yukari, but he does look a little bit intimidated.

Yukari opens her notebook on the players and prepares to draw Sawamura's form and pitch course. Sawamura winds up and Yukari bites her lower lip in anticipation. _Even if it's not a strike, it's okay, Sawamura._ She winces when she sees the course. _Right down the middle._ Inui easily hits it past Kenjirou for a double.

Kazuya finds her eyes from the plate and she shakes her head at him. _Too soon. He needs more time. But I understand where you're going with it_ , she thinks, hoping that he understands what she's trying to convey through one look.

Yukari then looks at Sawamura, afraid to see the same empty look he gave everyone after the scrimmage against Yakushi. She's half relieved and half annoyed when she sees him lifting his arm.

"Two outs, everyone! We're in a bit of a bind, but let's stay calm! A hit is a hit! We can't change that! So don't feel down about it, and please move on!"

Seidou's crowd, understandably, starts to get mad at him.

 _He… has an annoyingly strong heart. I guess it really is nice to be stupid_ , Yukari thinks, shaking her head incredulously. She then smirks. _Well, he's got a point. Some of us are worried that he'll go down in the dumps again after failing to pitch an inside course. I guess we were worried for nothing._

Sawamura has that creepy smile on his face again – something that he didn't have when he was told to pitch to the inside earlier – before he winds up. The batter hits it toward the outfield, but fortunately Toujou manages to catch it to get their third out. Sawamura roars as he returns to the dugout with the fielders behind him.

Yukari smirks. _Even though he gave that one big hit, he didn't give up any runs. That's good, considering he's only using outside pitches._

"Nice pitching, Sawamura," Kataoka praises with a smile, "You did your job."

Sawamura bows deeply at the head coach, "Thank you! This is the true power of the man who has the power to stop the rain!"

"No, no, the rain hasn't stopped!" Kazuya says.

"It's still pouring!" Youichi adds.

xXx

Kataoka gathers the players in front of the mound, "We have two more innings. You know what to do. Stay on their tails persistently. Will we run out of energy first, or can we outlast them? Don't overlook any small openings."

"Yes, sir!"

The players disperse back into the dugout, and Kazuya gathers the batters, "Just hit to the ground," he says, "With the field all muddy, fielding requires a lot more focus. First of all, we need one run. Let's change the tides!"

"Yeah!"

Yukari looks down at her notes and asks Sachi, "Sachi… what's Mukai's pitch count?"

Sachi looks at her notes, "I counted over 120."

Yukari nods, "Me too…" she then clicks her tongue, "What a troublesome kid. He's playing around with the batters so much, he forgets to pace."

"Eh? What do you mean, Yukari?" Sachi asks.

"Because he's a sadist, he keeps trying to get full counts. He likes it when he manages to make the batters swing with his screwball to the corner. If he focused on pitching strikes or pitching to contact, it would significantly lower his pitch count," Yukari explains, "He's getting too full of himself…" she then raises her voice, "And I expect you idiots to take him down a couple of notches!"

The batters look at her with either a smirk or a smile, all of them looking confident and none of them looking offended after she called them idiots, "Yes, ma'am!" Yukari smirks in satisfaction at their answer.

The first two batters get stuck out quite quickly. The third batter is Toujou. Yukari has high hopes for the center fielder. He's shown to the team that he's quite the force to be reckoned with during the group matches and the scrimmages. He's shown Yukari that his light has just been overshadowed by Furuya's, Sawamura's, and Haruichi's lights. While he hasn't been showing what he can really do during this match, she hopes he will in this inning.

The first pitch is a sidearm crossfire to the in-low corner; a strike. The second pitch is thrown to the out-low corner, and Yukari notices the way Toujou holds his bat. She has seen this trick before. He lets one of his hands go to lengthen the range of his bat. She smirks when the ball flies over the second baseman's head.

They're back to the top of the lineup with Youichi going next at-bat. Toujou puts pressure on Mukai by taking a big lead. Youichi fouls the first pitch, and the second pitch is a ball. He then bunts the third pitch. It's quite a gamble, with two outs, but Yukari has faith in Youichi's legs. The third baseman gets the ball but makes an error as he throws to first base. Even without the error, Youichi manages to run past the first base before the first baseman can catch the ball. Two outs with runners on second and third.

The next at-bat is Haruichi. Yukari ignores Sawamura's exclamation about Haruichi's eyes glinting beneath his bangs, but she has to bite back a smile when she sees her pseudo younger brother's blush. Teitou then calls for a time out and they gather on the mound. Yukari raises an eyebrow when she sees that Teitou's battery intends to load up the bases by walking Haruichi.

 _So they're looking down on Zono, huh… well, it's true that he hasn't hit anything today, and he keeps getting fooled by Mukai. There's no reason_ not _to underestimate him_.

"Don't lose confidence, Maezono," Kataoka says, "You've been swinging well all game. Wait for the pitch to come at you, then smack it hard. Just go do that this inning too."

Zono nods at him.

"Zono!" Yukari calls out. He turns to look at her, "They're looking down on you," she starts simply. Zono's face tightens, "If you're frustrated, prove them wrong with your swing. You've practiced a lot, haven't you? Don't let Kantoku's advices go to waste. And even if you fail, don't forget that we still have one more inning to score."

Zono blushes brightly, but then he nods firmly before the other players start to shower him with encouragement.

"What's that? You never even give me pep talks like that, Yuka-chan. I think I'm getting jealous," Kazuya says with a mocking pout.

"Because no matter what I say, you'll just do whatever you want to do," Yukari asks with a roll of her eyes. She then locks her eyes with his, "Besides, I haven't felt the need to give you a pep talk. You've been doing well without one so far. I trust you. More than anyone."

Before he can see her blush, Yukari hurriedly puts her cap on to hide her face. She feels Kazuya's hand on her shoulder and he leans until his lips are parallel to her ears, "If you don't want people to see, don't say something so cute when we have company. You make me wanna kiss you."

Yukari blushes brighter as she chops his head with Kominato Ryousuke's signature chop, "Idiot. Just go."


	29. Chapter 29

It's the bottom of eighth with score of 1-0 for Teitou, two outs with base loaded. The next up at-bat for Seidou is Zono, who hasn't hit anything that day.

The first pitch is a screwball that is called a ball. Zono almost swings at it, but he manages to stop himself. He also signals for Toujou to stay in third base. The second pitch is a slider on the outside corner; a strike. The third pitch is a fastball to the outside corner that Zono swings at. The count is 1-2.

"Come on, Maezono!" Oota shouts from within the dugout.

"You've got the timing down!" Sawamura shouts.

"Nice swing!" Kanemaru adds.

 _It should be a low one this time…_ Yukari thinks. Mukai pitches and the ball bounces. Again, Zono stops Toujou from going home. The count is now 2-2. The fifth pitch is a ball to the out-low corner which Zono manages to tap with his bat.

 _That one's barely a foul… you got lucky this time, Zono_ , Yukari thinks. _It's been all outside course the whole time. They didn't count on Zono tapping that last pitch, so they have an extra pitch now. If I were that catcher, I'd ask for an inside pitch. I'm sure that's what the pitcher wants, too._

Yukari watches as Inui steps closer toward Zono. _It seems that he really knows what his pitcher wants. Looks like the level of trust of this battery is very high_ , she thinks as she adds that note into the page on Teitou in her notebook. She then eyes Zono. _Remember what Tetsu-san always said, Zono. 'Practice never betrays'. Don't hold back._

Mukai pitches and Yukari grins excitedly when Zono manages to hit the inside pitch right down the foul line, deep into the left field.

The runners all run back home while the fielders are taking their time with the ball. Zono runs past the second base. _Idiot, don't overestimate yourself!_ Yukari thinks. She pinches the bridge of her nose in exasperation when he gets retired at third.

"You got way too excited! Your feet tripped!" Youichi reprimands him.

"S-Sorry…" Zono apologizes.

 _That was half skill and half luck… because for Mukai, that last pitch's course wasn't too good_ , Yukari thinks as she eyes Teitou's dugout. _Well, the higher you go, the more painful the fall, I guess. He really shouldn't have underestimated Zono._

On the top of ninth, Nori enters the mound. He managed to get their two outs but is struggling to get the last one. They've given up one run, and now the bases are loaded due to a defense error. Kazuya calls for a time out and the fielders all gather on the mound.

Yukari somewhat understands the situation. Nori has always had a weak mental strength ever since he enrolled in Seidou. Not to mention this is his first match with the new team that is held in a big stadium instead of their school grounds. She's sure that he's still being haunted by the memory of the last pitch he threw that cost them Koshien during the summer.

But Yukari thinks that he doesn't have to worry too much about it. His pitches are looking good; he's just a little bit too nervous. She then looks up at the sky and smiles when she sees that the rain has stopped, and the rainclouds are starting to part way for the sun. She resists the unbearable urge to start sketching the beautiful sky, because the match isn't over yet.

When the fielders return to their respective positions, Yukari is relieved to see that Nori seems revitalized. He pitches and the batter manages to hit it. Nori steps out of the ball's course and Youichi catches it easily, stepping on the second base before the runner from first can get to it.

"Out! Game set!"

xXx

Yukari is faced with a little bit of a bind.

The matches next day are between Seidou vs. Nanamori Gakuen and Inajitsu vs. Ugumori High School. She is in dire need to get her hands on Ugumori's data, but unfortunately, those two matches will be held at the same time in different stadiums. As much as she wants to split herself into two, she can't do it without dying in the process.

Previously, during this kind of situation, Chris and Yukari would have asked some of the third year second string players who can gather data from both teams to watch the match, but they've retired now. Yukari can ask some of the second string players, but she's afraid they would get too focused on Inajitsu instead of taking data from both teams. There's no guarantee that Inajitsu would definitely win, after all.

As she walks toward the cafeteria to help out with dinner, she can hear the sound of someone running in the field, but she can't hear the sound of tire being dragged along the ground. That means it's not Sawamura. She looks at the field and sees Furuya. Judging by how his face is drenched in sweat, he's been there for a while.

Yukari is heartless enough to let him be. He needs to reflect on the match. She still can't believe that he turned into a completely new person (and not in a good way) during the course of the pause. He got way too relaxed and completely lost his fire.

On the other hand, Sawamura has proven to the team that he can still be counted on to hold off their rivals. That big hit from the failed inside pitch hurt, but fortunately he bounced back to shape pretty quickly.

Yukari shakes her head to shake off her thoughts. She needs to find someone she can trust to watch the Inajitsu vs. Ugumori game. She can't risk leaving the team to watch the match because she has a responsibility as the team's trainer. She'd rather ask other people to watch a match and gather data more than to take care of the team.

Yukari heaves a deep sigh. _I'm starting to feel out of my depth… I think I need to ask Rei-san for a new manager or a new trainer… or ideally both_.

xXx

It's lunch time, and Yukari has to deliver Kazuya's lunch to his class. But before she can leave, the class representative halts her in her tracks.

"Here!" the girl hands Yukari a handout, "These are the groups for the school trip! I know that there's a match during the trip, so we grouped the baseball team together!"

Yukari takes a look at the handout and sees that she's telling the truth. The baseball players in her class, Kijima Rei, the first base coach, and Mimura Ryouta, the third base coach, are in the same group as her. She then smirks at the class representative, "I appreciate the thought, but we don't plan on losing, so we're not going," she says as she hands her back the handout.

The girl sighs but nods in understanding, "That's a shame. It's a good opportunity for everyone in the class to get better acquainted."

Yukari smiles apologetically, "Sorry. Blame the principal for making the schedule."

The girl waves off her apology and lets Yukari leave her classroom to go to Kazuya's.

When she gets there, she raises an eyebrow when she sees some of the baseball team members from class 2-D are crowding around the desk that Kazuya sits on. Youichi is standing in front of his desk, shouting something about the principal's conspiracy.

"Kazuya?" Yukari calls out. The boys from 2-D that she recognizes as Watanabe Hisashi, Kudou Yasushi, and Higashio Shuuji jump when they hear her voice. She frowns at their reaction. They seem nervous. Kazuya and Youichi, who were just talking to some of their female classmates, turn to look at her. She lifts up a wrapped bento box, "Your lunch."

"Yay!" Kazuya claps his hands like a child, and Yukari rolls her eyes as she approaches him. He then turns to look at the three boys, "So what did you need?"

She also turns to look at them to see them hesitating. Eventually, Watanabe says, "Sorry. Never mind," before he leaves the classroom, followed by Kudou and Higashio.

"Eh?"

"O-Oi!"

Yukari raises an eyebrow, "…what was that all about?"

"Not sure…" Kazuya answers.

"Hmm…" Yukari hums. Now that she thinks about it, she hardly sees the three them practicing out of official practice time. She wonders if that has anything to do with whatever it was they were trying to say to Kazuya.

"Well, like we said; we're not going," Youichi says to the girls who were talking to them.

"Is that so… well, it's a shame, but good luck on the matches!" one of the girls says before leaving.

"So where's my lunch?" Yukari rolls her eyes and hands Kazuya his bento, "Where's yours?"

"I ate already. I have something important to talk about," Yukari says as she sits on the desk in front of Kazuya's as he starts eating.

"Should I leave or something?" Youichi asks from beside Yukari after he slides to the side to give some space for Yukari to sit.

"Since when have you ever respected our privacy?" Yukari asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Y-You devil…" Youichi growls in annoyance.

Yukari sighs, "You don't have to leave. This concerns the team, anyway," with those words, Youichi calms down.

"What's wrong, Yuka-chan?"

"I need someone to watch Inajitsu's match against Ugumori," Yukari says.

"Oh, right. We need to update our data on Inajitsu, right?" Youichi asks, "Those bastards must've had something new up their sleeves after Koshien," he growls.

"Not just Inajitsu's, but Ugumori's too. We have close to no data on them. I don't wanna take any chances," Yukari says before she sighs, "If the match is going to be held after ours, it wouldn't be a problem. But it's happening the same time as ours in a different stadium. The thing is, I don't know anyone who can gather data on both schools without them focusing too much on Inajitsu."

"Why don't you go?" Youichi asks.

"You really think I'd be able to focus on the match while worrying about you idiots? Think again," Yukari says. Again, Youichi looks annoyed at her words, but she ignores his annoyance, "I don't trust any of you to not get hurt. Unless we have another trainer that I trust, I am not going to leave the team in someone else's hands."

Kazuya looks thoughtful for a moment before he smiles at Yukari, "Leave that to me. You still need to gather some more data on Nanamori, right? Just focus on that."

"W-Wait. If you have someone in mind, just tell me so I can go ask them myself…"

Kazuya laughs as he claps his hands in thanks after he's done eating. He rewraps the box with the cloth and slides it over to Yukari, "You tend to take on too much on your own, so I'm glad you came to me. It's my duty as a captain to listen to what the manager needs for the sake of the team. I also happen to think of keeping my girlfriend from stressing out too much as my responsibility as a boyfriend."

Yukari sighs and relaxes as she meets Kazuya's eyes, feeling some weight lifting from her shoulders. She stands from her seat and takes the wrapped box from the table, "Are you sure it's okay?"

"I'm sure. Just relax."

"Stop making googly eyes at each other. You're disgusting. At least get a room, damn it! Hyahaha!"

"Shut up."

xXx

During the afternoon practice, Yukari can't help but watch in awe when she sees five cages that have been installed in the field for batting practice. She can see the batters eagerly waiting for their turn in the cage.

"What a great view with five cages on the field!" Oota exclaims when she reaches the head coach and staffs.

"I'm sure the players enjoy getting more turns too," Rei says.

"Yeah," Kataoka nods, "The one who proposed installing them is Coach Ochiai," Yukari's eyes widen at this new information, "We do a lot of situational practice to give everyone a good intuition of baseball. He thought instead of making them think, it would be better to just let them bat freely."

"Oh… I see," Oota says.

 _I have to admit, it's a great idea… but what's with the smug face?_ Yukari thinks, frowning in confusion.

"Everyone loves batting practice, don't they? I have a few more ideas too, despite how I act," Ochiai says smugly. Yukari now wonders how he acts around the head coach when she's not around. Not to mention, he's getting assertive all of a sudden. She wonders if something happened.

Yukari's focus gets redirected toward Sawamura, who has just successfully thrown another outside pitch. Not only Sawamura, but Furuya and Nori have volunteered to pitch today. In Furuya's batter's box is Kanemaru, who easily hits Furuya's fastballs far from the first pitch. Yukari smirks as she immediately adds more info to her notebook.

"Whoa, he hit the first pitch!" Oota exclaims, "And it went pretty far!"

"He's been looking good recently," Rei informs the head coach.

"This is good," Oota says, "The first years are looking energetic, as are the second years."

"Yes," Rei agrees, "It might be a good idea to try a few new things in the game on Saturday."

"It's hard not to think about it… Ugumori did well and reached the Best 16 during the summer tournament, but the third round game will almost surely be against Inajitsu," Oota says.

"Everyone feels the same way," Rei nods.

 _Well, it's not set in stone that we will go up against Inajitsu… but if we will, it would be a chance to get revenge for the summer,_ Yukari thinks.

The practice continues with a base steal practice with Sawamura pitching. Youichi is the runner on first base. He easily manages to steal second base as Sawamura is winding up. Higasa isn't so lucky, though.

During Asou's turn, he slides toward a base which Higashio is covering and he accidentally hits Asou's head with his glove. Yukari jogs toward the base.

"Ow! Why did you tag me there?! It's practice, so don't force it! Damn, that hurt!"

"Sorry," Higashio says.

"Okay, okay, break it up," Yukari says coldly when she's close enough. She curses inwardly when she feels a little more breathless than she should even though she was just jogging. Asou, Higashio, and Kijima, who is standing nearby, flinch at her voice, "Shuuji-kun, you need to be more careful during tagging. You might hurt someone."

"S-Sorry…"

"And Takeru-kun, what's with the high and mighty attitude? You messed up your sliding earlier, that's why Shuuji-kun had trouble timing your arrival. Make sure that you weren't doing anything wrong before you even think about blaming other people," Yukari says before she gestures for Takeru to follow her, "Cool your heads down and switch gears."

"Y-Yes, ma'am," they say before she leaves with Takeru to the dugout to check on his head for external injuries.

xXx

By request of the players, Yukari plays the DVD of Nanamori's previous match as they eat their dinner. Yukari sits by some of the second year players.

"If I'm not mistaken, Nanamori has Hayashi from Fuchu Senior, right?"

"He's a pitcher now."

"He throws a lot of sliders, doesn't he?"

"We won't lose if we don't underestimate them," Youichi says from beside Yukari. All of a sudden, Kudou stands up from his seat, his meal barely touched.

"Huh? You're done already, Kudou?" Takeru asks.

"Y-Yeah… my stomach doesn't feel good," Kudou says.

"Oi, don't say that in front of Ichikawa!" Takeru warns.

"Yasushi-kun, do you need anything?" Yukari asks.

"N-No… I've got some medicine in my room. But thanks for asking, Ichikawa," Yasushi says.

Yukari shrugs, "If you're sure," she says as she claps her hands in thanks, "Thank you for the meal," she says before she stands up as well, her meal finished.

"You're a fast eater as usual, aren't you, Ichikawa…?" Youichi says with slight envy.

"You'd be fast too, if you've been doing this for five years or have Masuko-san's appetite," Yukari simply says as she takes her tray to the cafeteria auntie, "Guys, if you're done with the DVD, please return it to Kantoku's office."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Yukari leaves the cafeteria and hears a commotion from the field. She shakes her head as she approaches it to find the three pitchers running a marathon against each other. Sawamura and Nori keep trying to get each other to stop running first, while Furuya slows down, looking half-asleep. Before she can reach them, though, Furuya suddenly accelerates and runs past Sawamura and Nori.

"Oi, you guys! I don't care if you still have some energy to run, but you need to stop right now or I'll triple your practice tomorrow!" Yukari threatens.

"Geh! Yukihime-senpai! Yes, ma'am!" Sawamura says as he instantly stops, followed by Furuya.

"I'm kinda jealous with how well he listens to you, Ichikawa," Nori says as he comes to a stop.

"I'm still surprised he listens to me. He used to listen to Chris-senpai better. I guess now that he's not here, he finally decides to listen to me," Yukari admits as she gives them a towel each, "Now you guys need to take a bath and then get some rest. You guys need to wake up early tomorrow."

The three pitchers leave the field and she follows behind them, keeping an eye on Furuya who looks like he's sleepwalking. They arrive at the stairway that connects the field to the dorm and indoor practice buildings and find Kazuya and Nabe sitting there.

"Nori, make sure they take a bath!" Kazuya reminds them, "They always try to get by with a shower."

"Is that true?" Yukari asks lowly, to which the first year pitchers flinch.

"I-I wash myself properly!" Sawamura protests.

"And…"

"And I'll take a bath too! Because Yukihime-senpai told me to!" Sawamura exclaims, cutting Furuya off.

"Does that mean that you wouldn't take a bath if I didn't tell you to?" Yukari asks.

"N-No, that's not what I mean!"

"Just shut up and go. It's late and you're loud," Yukari says as she stops beside Nabe and Kazuya, "Nori, I'm leaving them to you."

"Yeah, sure," Nori says as he leads the two first year pitchers back to the dorms.

"This is kind of an unusual combination. What are you two doing here?" Yukari asks as she eyes the two of them. She then notices the scorebook in Nabe's hand and the various study guides sitting in between them, "Kazuya, when you said to leave it to you…"

"Yeah. I asked Nabe to watch the Inajitsu vs. Ugumori match. Right, Nabe?" Kazuya asks.

"Y-Yeah…"

Yukari sighs in relief, "I'm glad. Thanks, Nabe. I was really worried because it's the same time with our match, and I can't trust any of our baseball idiots not to injure themselves during the game."

"Oi!"

"But… why Nabe, Kazuya?"

"His notes on Teitou really helped the fielders," Kazuya says, "I thought if he watches the match in person, his notes would definitely be better."

Yukari's eyes widen slightly, "I didn't know you've been taking notes."

"Oh, I-I just… wrote down what I thought stood out to me when you played the DVD for us during dinner, Ichikawa. Miyuki just noticed what I was writing, and he took the notes from me. I'm sorry if I've overstepped my boundaries…" Nabe says.

"…if Kazuya used your notes for a match, then it must've been really good," Yukari says with a small smile.

"It _was_ really good. Almost as good as Chris-senpai's even," Kazuya admits.

Yukari smirks, not at all offended with Kazuya's high praise for Nabe's notes, "Then I guess I'll have to keep my expectations high for your notes on Inajitsu and Ugumori, Nabe. Again, thank you. Whatever you bring to us would definitely be a big help," she says to Nabe, "Well, I'll leave you two to your conversation. Just don't stay up too late. We've got an early start tomorrow."

"Good night, Yuka-chan!"

"Good night, Ichikawa."

"Yeah, good night," Yukari says before she starts walking toward the dorms.


	30. Chapter 30

**I am going out of town next weekend and I won't be bringing my laptop with me, so the next chapter will be posted next Sunday. I'm sorry!**

* * *

Yukari is having one of her 'bad days'. Actually, she has been having them for a couple of days now.

Maybe she should've told her parents sooner so that they can take her to her cardiologist, because she has actually been feeling chest pains for the past few days. She doesn't know if she's stressed because she has to manage the new team without Chris' help or because she's still worried over Sawamura's condition or Kazuya's captaincy. It's true that she has been having problems keeping her temper in check. Maybe it's because of the piled up stress.

Last night, before she went to bed, when she was sitting in the bath, she felt lightheaded and she cut her bath short for fear that she would pass out in the bath with no one to help her. When she woke up, she felt a little out of breath. That's the big, bright, red light that tells her that she needs to see her cardiologist.

That's why before she leaves for her jog, she calls her mother and tells her that she needs to make an appointment to her cardiologist, ideally after the match against Nanamori. After she's done with her phone call, she goes to jog. Halfway through her usual jogging routine, she regrets her decision as she starts to have difficulty breathing, which leads to dizziness. She walks instead of jogs for the rest of her route.

During afternoon practice, the head coach has her bring Sawamura to the viewer's box.

"Excuse me! Did you call for crippled Sawamura?!" Sawamura shouts. Yukari winces at his sudden loudness, holding a hand above her heart as she tries to calm down her rapid heartbeat. Inside the viewer's box she sees the head coach, Ochiai, Oota, Rei, and Kazuya. She chops Sawamura's head with Ryousuke's specialty chop.

"Too close," Yukari says as she controls her breathing.

"I-I'm sorry! W-What can I help you with today?" Sawamura asks the head coach, "If it's about sleeping through the entire class today, then I'm deeply repentant!"

"You did?" Kazuya asks.

"Eh?! It's not about that?!" Sawamura shouts.

"I said you're too close!" Yukari growls with a harder chop.

"Y-Yukihime-senpai… as expected from the middle child of the Kominato siblings," Sawamura mumbles as he sways on his feet.

Yukari can feel the worried looks coming from Kataoka and Rei as she tries to control her breathing while keeping her hand above her harshly beating heart. Today really is a bad day.

"K-Kataoka-kantoku! You don't mean to say…" Oota trails off.

Kataoka then turns his attention toward Sawamura with a smirk, "Sawamura. You're going to be starting in the next match."

"Oh, is Furuya going to left field, sir?" Yukari asks as she puts a hand over Sawamura's mouth, preventing him to voice out his shock.

"That's the plan," Kataoka says, "Let's get back to practice."

All of them leave the viewer's box, but before they go very far, Rei stops Yukari.

"Yukari-chan, a word?"

Yukari sighs. She somewhat knows what she's going to ask. She waves off Kazuya, who looks back at her with a worried look in his face. He reluctantly leaves with Sawamura to the field. She walks back toward where Rei and Kataoka are standing, Oota and Ochiai not in sight.

"Are you okay? You don't look so well," Rei asks, sounding concerned.

Yukari nods, "It's just a bad day. I've called my mom to set up an appointment with my doctor. She'll tell me when it's confirmed."

"Do you need a day off?" Kataoka asks. Yukari shakes her head.

"I don't want to unnecessarily worry them."

"If you feel unwell, just tell any of us. Don't push yourself," Kataoka says.

Yukari nods, "I understand."

xXx

It's October 9th and it's the day of the second match for the fall tournament.

There's a different kind of tension in the dugout, as the batting lineup has been mixed around a little bit. As Yukari was informed the other day, Furuya will be playing left field with Sawamura starting. Haruichi becomes the three-hole with Zono moving down to fifth. Kanemaru is being given the chance to start as third baseman and batting eighth.

Yukari's phone buzzes in her pocket. She takes a look at it and sees a text from her mother.

 _10/09 12:11_

 _Okaa-san_

 _Yukari, I've contacted your doctor and he said that he's out of the country for a conference. He said he will return asap, so I'll tell you as soon as he contacts me again. Don't force yourself! If you don't feel well, call us and we'll take you home! Don't forget to take your medicines!_

Yukari sighs and texts back a short 'OK' before pocketing her phone. She watches as Kazuya and Sawamura warm up in the bullpen. She approaches them alongside Youichi and Zono.

"Looking pretty good, Sawamura," Youichi says, "Though it's all about how you pitch on the mound that counts."

"No need to tell me that right before the game!"

"Are you nervous or something?" Yukari asks.

"O-Of course I am!" Sawamura says as he looks at the ball in his hand, "It's my first time starting. And there's something I want to try too."

"He's been using his head in practice lately," Zono says, "I see him coming up with pitching sequences. Now that he knows his outside pitch is effective, his thoughts on the inside pitch have changed. Well, for Sawamura, he probably understands it better with his body than with his head."

Youichi grins as he takes a batting helmet from the dugout. He then stands in the batter's box, "Okay, come to me! I'll look at your pitch from the box."

"Thank you!"

Yukari then stands behind Kazuya, wanting to see his pitch from the umpire's point of view. She has her notebook and pencil ready to draw his form and course. The second he winds up, Yukari starts sketching. When she sees the ball coming at her, her eyes widen as she steps aside to avoid getting hit, but Kazuya manages to catch it before it reaches her. She starts taking deep, slow breaths as her heartbeat quickens.

Sawamura then laughs loudly, "You fell right for it, Kuramochi-senpai! That was a trap! Now that you've seen how close the pitch is, the outside pitches will feel like they're miles away!"

 _Well… he's not wrong, but…_ Yukari's eyes are still wide as she gapes at Sawamura, putting a hand over her heart.

"Now I just need to calm down and throw low and outside! That's just preparation to finish you off with an outside pitch in the end!" Sawamura says, ending his speech with an obnoxious laughter.

"W-Wait a minute…" Youichi starts.

"He just pitched…" Zono continues.

"Yeah…" Yukari says.

"Eh?"

"Did you just pitch… to the inside?" Kazuya asks.

"…eh?"

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Of course, the idiot himself doesn't realize it," she says as she finishes her sketch. She then turns to walk back to the dugout, leaving Sawamura with the captain and his vice-captains. _But I have to admit, the scenario he has in his head isn't bad._

xXx

Not long after, the match starts with Seidou on offense. With Youichi's dependable legs, Kenjirou's sacrifice bunt, and Haruichi's batting prowess, they easily get their first run. Kazuya also manages to hit until Haruichi can reach third base. Zono also delivers by hitting the ball right along the left field line, bringing Haruichi home. Zono practically dives toward second base.

"He got a hit to the left field edge again!" Oota says, "We might be seeing more of those from him!"

"He's a natural pull hitter, but he knows to swing a little late, which keeps the hit from going foul," Kataoka says with a proud look on his face.

Yukari nods, "An inside pitch specialist."

Kataoka smirks, "Looks like his talent's finally starting to bear fruit."

 _Well, he's still a bit inconsistent, but his talent can bloom like this all thanks to Kataoka-kantoku_ , Yukari thinks to herself.

Unfortunately Furuya is too tense as he pops the pitch to the foul territory, which the Nanamori catcher catches easily. Toujou gets walked to first base. Yukari smirks in pure satisfaction when she sees Kanemaru easily hitting the first pitch right between left and center. All runners run home while Kanemaru arrives on second base.

It's only the top of first and Seidou has scored five runs. Yukari can easily see this match being called. She is a little bit miffed by the innocent look Sawamura has on his face as he returns to the dugout after being cleanly struck out, though.

Time to change.

The inside pitch Sawamura unknowingly threw during warm ups is still stuck in Yukari's mind. If he could use it in this match, it would be one big step closer to overcoming his yips. The players filter into the field and Sawamura takes the ball from the mound. He turns to look at the fielders and lifts his free hand.

"Balls will come flying your way, so fielders, thank you for your support!"

Yukari smirks as she realizes that she this is the first time she has heard those words coming from his mouth since the end of the summer regional tournament.

Sawamura gets the first two strikes and a ball. On the fourth pitch, the batter manages to foul it, and Yukari bites her lower lip as she watches Kazuya stepping closer to the batter to get ready for an inside pitch. _Isn't it too soon, though, Kazuya…?_ Yukari thinks. While it's rare, there are times when Yukari and Kazuya make different calls. This is one of those times.

Yukari shakes her head as she draws Sawamura's form as he winds up. She then draws the course of the ball and winces when it hits the batter. _That was a waste. He was going on a roll, too_ … _but… it_ was _somewhat an inside pitch, if anything_ , Yukari thinks. _That means it's not impossible. It's just a matter of timing._

"I'm sorry!" Sawamura shouts at the batter he hit.

"D-Did he just throw an inside pitch?" Sachi asks.

"Well, yeah… sort of, I guess…" Yukari says.

During the next batter's at-bat, Sawamura is distracted by the runner that he keeps doing pick-offs, even though the runner isn't even taking a big lead. He ends up walking the batter. Yukari rolls her eyes. _He's needs to calm down._

"No outs! There are still no outs!"

 _You don't need to announce that, good grief…_ Yukari thinks as she squeezes the bridge of her nose. She winces when she feels slight pain from her chest.

"He's given multiple walks since the first batter, and he's cornered himself. It's his first time starting, so maybe he lost his cool after he hit the batter," Oota says.

The next batter jams Sawamura's second pitch right to first base. While Zono manages to tap the runner out as he runs toward first base, the other runners manage to advance. The next batter is the fourth batter. He fouls the first pitch. What worries Yukari is that the batter wasn't hesitating in stepping in. If he wasn't late in his swing, that pitch would've been a homer.

Yukari bites her lower lip. _The batter must've realized that Sawamura has only been pitching to the outside since the dead ball. This might be the right time for the inside pitch. If it works, it would definitely calm Sawamura down and get the batter off his game. The question is, is Sawamura ready for it?_

Yukari takes a good look at Sawamura and her eyes widen when she sees him shaking his head at Kazuya. _Sawamura is… refusing Kazuya's call? That's a first_ , she thinks. Sawamura then grins and Yukari smirks. _He's using his head properly. Well, can't help that. I guess you just gotta give him what he wants, Kazuya._

From the corner of her eyes, Yukari can see Kataoka nodding subtly. Kazuya then steps closer to the batter and puts his mitt for an inside pitch. Yukari gets her pencil ready and starts drawing when Sawamura winds up. She grins in excitement when the ball lands cleanly on Kazuya's mitt. _That was perfect._

But when the batter jams Sawamura's next pitch, Yukari shakes her head incredulously. _That idiot got way too excited._ Furuya catches the ball and throws a mean fastball right toward Kazuya. He then proceeds to show off his back number to Sawamura from the left field as he keeps rolling his shoulders. Yukari rolls her eyes.

"Two outs, everyone! Please stay calm!"

You're _the one who needs to stay calm, idiot_ , Yukari thinks as she rolls her eyes. Fortunately, he calms down enough to strike out the next batter. He manages to end the inning without giving away any runs. Before he can shout anything stupid, Youichi stops him.

Seidou easily racks up runs for the next four innings and, as Yukari has predicted it, the match is called after five innings with the score of 11-0 in Seidou's favor. Sawamura manages a shut-out in his first game as a starter, regardless of the fact that it was a called game. Despite the meatballs here and there, Yukari is quite satisfied with his performance. She is also glad that he has taken one big step toward recovering from his yips.

xXx

After they're all done cleaning up the dugout, everyone exits the stadium. When she walks with the ice box that shouldn't have been any heavier than usual on her shoulder, she had to stop halfway because her lungs can't handle it anymore. She's losing breath every time she tries to inhale some as she walks with extra weight on her shoulder. _This is getting ridiculous_.

She then stops in her tracks and puts the ice box to the ground, trying not to gasp desperately for air when the weight is taken off of her body. She puts her hands on her knees as she tries to catch her breath, but when she stands back up, her vision starts to spin. She feels her balance failing her as she starts to fall backward. She would've fallen to the ground if it wasn't for someone stopping her.

"Whoa, Yuka-chan, you okay?" Kazuya asks as he puts his hands on Yukari's back, keeping her from falling.

Yukari takes a deep breath and harshly exhales it in annoyance when it doesn't even reach her lungs. She can feel her heartbeat and breathing picking up as she starts to panic.

"I-I'm fine," she says as she straightens herself.

"I'll take that, Ichikawa!" Zono volunteers as he takes the ice box to his shoulders before Yukari can protest.

Yukari sighs in resignation, "Thanks, Zono."

"You know you can ask for help to bring that, don't you?" Kazuya asks.

"But I never needed help with it before," Yukari says as they reach the exit.

"That's true…" Kazuya trails off. Yukari leans against the wall of the stadium and slides down to sit against it, panting. Kazuya squats in front of her looking worried, "Yuka-chan… are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Yukari answers, much quicker than Kazuya likes.

"Yuka-chan…"

"Kazuya," Yukari firmly says as she pants, "Can't we talk about this later?"

Kazuya looks torn. He grits his teeth in frustration before taking her hands in his. He squeezes her hands, "…fine."

Yukari squeezes his hands in return. He pulls away from her and stands up. Yukari props up her legs and leans her forehead against her knees, trying to control her breathing.

"You okay, Ichikawa?" Youichi asks from beside her.

"Yeah…" Yukari answers weakly. She lifts her head up and stretches her legs as she leans her head against the wall of the stadium. At the very least, she can breathe better. Her chest still hurts from time to time and her heartbeat is still too fast for her own liking, but it's a start.

"We've made it this far, according to plan," Kazuya says.

"Yeah, and now for the real deal," Youichi agrees.

"Payback against Inajitsu," Kazuya says, "If we can't win tomorrow, it's all over."

" _If_ Inajitsu wins," Yukari says, gaining attention from Kazuya and Youichi, "We don't know Ugumori's skills yet, and we don't know how well Inajitsu's new battery works together. It could easily go both ways."

"What's that? Don't you want revenge against them, Ichikawa?" Youichi asks.

"Of course I do," Yukari growls, "I'm just saying that we should think about every possibility. There are too many unknown factors to get a definite answer," she says, "By the way, does anyone have Nabe's number? The match in Oota Stadium should be done by now, right?"

Kazuya looks around before saying, "I think Kudou is calling him right now."

Not too long after Kazuya says that, Yukari can hear Yasushi's voice.

"They lost…? Inajitsu…?"

Yukari's eyes widen slightly, but she's definitely not as shocked as everyone else around her. This is one of the possibilities she thinks could've happened. She just hopes Nabe will bring back good data so she can see what makes Ugumori come out on top.


	31. Chapter 31

**I have to be honest; I'm kinda nervous posting this chapter because Kazuya might be super OOC here. Enjoy it nonetheless?**

* * *

When the players have returned to the dorms, they wait patiently for Nabe to arrive. Yukari waits with them in the cafeteria. They don't have to wait long until Nabe walks through the cafeteria doors.

"I'm back," Nabe greets.

"Welcome back, Nabe," Yukari greets back.

"You guys want to watch it now?" Nabe asks.

"Yeah, let's do it," Youichi says from across Yukari.

"Welcome back, Nabe," Kazuya says from beside Yukari, "What did you think, watching it in person? How was Ugumori as a team?"

"Well…" Nabe starts, "It may seem like Inajitsu didn't play their best, but Ugumori did make it to the Best 16 in the summer, so they're definitely good."

"Excuse me!" Sawamura says from the back of the room, "Did they really get a hit off of Narumiya-san and win?"

"Don't jump to conclusions, Sawamura," Kanemaru says, "Let's just watch the video. We're surprised too."

"He didn't look too bad, but it looked like the battery wasn't agreeing on the signs," Nabe informs as he prepares the DVD. Yukari opens her notebook and prepares to take notes.

"This is absurd!" Sawamura growls, "How dare they lose before I could pay them back for summer?"

"Sit down, Sawamura," Kazuya commands firmly, "Forget the team that lost. Think about tomorrow's opponent. You need to change your attitude," Sawamura grits his teeth in frustration.

"In fact, we should feel lucky that we don't have to play against Narumiya," Takeru offhandedly says.

"Right?" Seki Naomichi, a second year who always follows Takeru around, says.

"No wonder you can't get any hits," Kijima says.

"What?!"

"They'll have momentum from their win against Inajitsu. If we take them lightly, we could lose too," Yamaguchi Ken, a second year first baseman, says.

"Sounds like you've already lost mentally!" Takeru says.

"You said 'we're lucky', that means you're underestimating them!"

"Well, there's no point in being negative like you!"

Yukari squeezes the bridge of her nose in annoyance as Takeru keeps provoking Yamaguchi. As her annoyance builds, her breath starts to come out shorter, "You guys… can you _shut up_?" she says coldly. The players all flinch at the change in temperature as Takeru and Yamaguchi stops arguing immediately, "If you guys wanna keep arguing, be my guest, but don't do it here."

"Stand down, Asou, Yamaguchi," Kataoka firmly says.

"I-I'm sorry…"

"Nabe, can we start?" Yukari asks as she tries to control her breathing.

"Ah… yeah, sure," Nabe says as he starts the DVD. He starts the strategy meeting, and Yukari smirks as she's reminded of Chris when he leads the meeting. He looks nervous at first, but eventually he relaxes.

Yukari is impressed. The data that Nabe gathered cover not only Inajitsu, but also Ugumori very thoroughly. Kazuya wasn't lying when he said that his notes are almost as good as Chris'. Yukari doesn't hesitate in thinking that it's better than hers. It feels almost as reassuring as when Chris is still around with Nabe helping out. _I want him to help me with managerial duties… but I'm not sure if he would want to do it full time._

After the meeting is finished, Kataoka takes over, "Furuya, you'll start. I'll announce the rest of the starting members tomorrow. Our opponent has momentum from defeating Inajitsu. Don't lose focus until we get the last out."

"Yes, sir!"

"Meeting adjourned."

Some of the players start to leave their seats and the room, except for some of the second years including Yukari. Before Nabe leaves, he hands a copy of his notes for Yukari. She smiles at him gratefully and thanks him for it.

"A slow curveball, and… was that a slider?" Kijima wonders, "It'll come down to how we figure out those two pitches."

"Yeah," Yamaguchi agrees.

"DAMN IT!" Yukari jumps when Sawamura suddenly shouts. She presses a hand on her heart as it starts to pound, "I need to release my anger with some exercise!" he says as he leaves the cafeteria, followed by Haruichi.

Yukari sighs, "Someone please tell him not to push himself too hard… there's a chance he might be playing tomorrow, after all."

"We'll go and tell him, Ichikawa," Yasushi says as he stands from his seat, followed by Shuuji.

"We also want to show him a video of a kind of warm-up we've been researching. We think it would suit him," Shuuji says before he falters, "…i-if it's okay with you," Yukari's eyes widen at their words, but she nods at them.

"Of course it's okay. Thanks a lot, you two. If you two don't mind, I'd like to watch the video too."

"Of course," Yasushi says as they nod at her before leaving the cafeteria to go after Sawamura.

"I didn't know they've been researching training videos…" Yukari says.

"What is it? Are you feeling threatened, Ichikawa? Afraid they'll take your position as the team's trainer?" Youichi asks playfully.

"Of course not," Yukari says honestly, "Having more than one trainer would be a huge help to the team. I'm glad they took the initiative. They'd definitely make my job a lot easier."

"Heh. That's true," Youichi says.

The players who stay in the cafeteria – most of the second year first string players, along with Kanemaru and Toujou – replay the DVD.

"Umemiya Seiichi," Youichi says, "This guy's the pillar of pitching and hitting."

"He got the winning runs off Narumiya," Takeru says.

"He hit an outside pitch to the right-center field," Yukari says as she studies Nabe's notes.

"Mei just self-destructed," Kazuya says. The others turn to look at Kazuya, "The catcher's asking for these pitches so he could finish with a breaking ball in the end. I don't know what Mei was thinking, but the moment he shook his head, the game was over."

"I agree," Yukari says, "I'm guessing his ego's through the roof because he's been to Koshien. Not to mention his new battery partner is his kouhai, so I guess he thought he could be in charge. He needs to remember that a battery is a two-way communication."

"If I were his catcher, I wouldn't have let him have his way," Kazuya says. Yukari nods in agreement.

"Are you a little mad, maybe?"

"I'm not mad," Kazuya insists.

"Yes, you are," Yukari says without looking away from the TV screen.

"Their batters weren't meshing well, and they looked a little stiff. They lost because they were bad."

"True… their plays were a little rough."

"Inajitsu's individual players are far better, but on that day, Ugumori was stronger," Youichi says.

"Their team isn't meshing well because the ace was playing for himself instead of for the team's sake," Yukari firmly says, "Inajitsu's players were just following in their ace's footsteps."

"Either way, our biggest threat is gone now," Kazuya says, "It's like a strong tailwind for us. Let's take the wind out of Ugumori's sails."

Yukari eyes Kazuya from the corner of her eyes. He _does_ seem irritated. She's sure that he was looking forward to kick Inajitsu's ass in the next match to pay for the pain they caused them, just like everyone else in the room, but she thinks he feels the need to act like a captain and look forward instead of getting stuck on Inajitsu. She silently takes Kazuya's hand under the table, and he squeezes it before he lets go.

"But I gotta say, Watanabe's notes are insane. He wasn't just watching Inajitsu. He kept tabs on all the Ugumori players, too."

"If it were me, I would've only watched the Inajitsu guys."

"Did you ask him because you knew he could do this?" Youichi asks Kazuya.

"Yeah. Just like Yuka-chan, he can watch the flow of the game objectively," Kazuya says, "But… there might not be a next time."

Yukari's frowns as she turns to look at Kazuya, "What do you mean by that?"

"Watanabe doesn't want to do this?"

Youichi's eyes then light up when he remembers something, "Those three came to ask us something the other day. Did you talk to them afterward?"

"Yeah," Kazuya confirms, "Well, I just talked to Nabe. He didn't say it outright, but those three might quit the team."

Yukari's eyes widen in shock, and she's not the only one.

"W-What? Wait…"

"He told me he was worried about the difference in motivation."

"Seriously?" Higasa asks, "Even though we all survived the summer training…"

"But they didn't say it themselves, right?" Youichi asks.

"Right."

"And? What did you say to Nabe?" Zono asks.

"I said I had no right to stop someone who genuinely wants to quit."

"What the hell?!"

Yukari's eyes widen when Zono practically jumps from his seat and grabs Kazuya by his collar. She puts a hand on her chest when her heart starts to beat wildly.

"Stop it, Zono!"

"What are you doing?! Stop it!" Youichi says.

"Did you actually tell him that?! That's unthinkable!"

Yukari starts to shake in her seat as she tries to control her fastened breathing.

"'If you want to quit, then quit'? That's not what a captain should say!"

"Zono," Kenjirou calmly says, "Stop. We have a game tomorrow."

"…then what should I have said?" Kazuya asks.

"Huh?!"

"We came to this school to play baseball. We're not here to play house and be best buddies. We can't all hold hands and walk together forever."

Yukari knows that Kazuya has a point, but she thinks he shouldn't have been hasty in making a conclusion. Zono lets him go out of shock.

"Even the third years have started going their separate ways. Will we part ways today or maybe later? Isn't that the difference? If they have the desire…"

"W-Wait a second. Don't make it sound like they're going to quit! They haven't said anything about quitting! If they wanted to actually quit, they wouldn't have approached you! They wanted to talk to you about something! Don't force your world view on everyone else!" Zono shouts at Kazuya's face.

"Miyuki. I can see where you're coming from. But if he really wanted to quit, would he write a note like this?" Youichi asks. Yukari can feel Kazuya flinching slightly at Youichi's words. Yukari winces minutely as she feels pain coming from her chest. She takes a deep breath as she opens her mouth.

"Kazuya," Yukari starts. Everyone's attention turns to the only girl in the room who has been silently watching the argument, "I haven't thanked you for asking Nabe for help. I'm glad you asked him. He really exceeded all my expectations. And you know I mean it because I don't give away compliments easily. So thank you."

"…where are you going with this?" Kazuya asks.

Yukari stands up from her seat and looks at Kazuya, "What I'm trying to say is that you should've listened to what Nabe has to say first before coming to your own conclusion. As much as your personality sucks, I know you are not a bad person. I hate to admit it, but I'm having trouble juggling my role as a manager and as a trainer. In my opinion, without his help, at some point we're going to lose a match, and in turn, lose Kataoka-kantoku. And it would've been your fault."

Everyone except for Kazuya wince at Yukari's words. Even Zono looks like he feels bad for Kazuya, even 'though he's still glaring at their captain. She feels bad for leaving Kazuya to face the music alone, but she knows he needs to do this on his own. Besides, she doesn't know if she can hold out any longer. Her heart is really troubling her at that moment.

Yukari walks toward the door. Her eyes widen slightly when she sees Nabe looking back at her from beyond the glass doors of the cafeteria. She stops abruptly in her steps while silently telling Nabe to either hide or go altogether. Nabe then moves out of her vision.

"Zono, you said it yourself; 'don't force your world view on everyone else'… you should follow your own advice. As a team, there are lots of things that we have to compromise. And one more thing…" Yukari turns her head slightly as she tries to catch everyone's eyes, "If this affects tomorrow's game, _all_ of you are dead meat."

And as expected from _Seidou no Yukihime_ , Yukari coldly leaves the room in silence. She catches Nabe's eyes as she walks past him and she gives him a subtle nod.

Personally, Yukari can't say that she would be sad if Nabe quits, because they have never been particularly close. But she knows that without Nabe's notes, their chance on losing will definitely rise. He has proven himself to be a very important asset to the team, and losing him would be a huge blow. Besides, Yukari would appreciate all the help that she can get.

xXx

Someone knocks on Yukari's door when she is reviewing her lessons. When she opens it, she has to support Kazuya as he falls on her. Her eyes widen when he pushes his head against her shoulder.

"K-Kazuya?"

"…just let me stay like this for a while…"

Yukari bites her lower lip and wraps her arms around her boyfriend, who in turn wraps his arms around her tightly, but not so tight that Yukari can't breathe, and pushes his face against her neck. She runs her hand through his hair and waits until he either speaks or lets her go.

"…why am I the captain, anyway…?"

Yukari's eyes widen at the vulnerability of his voice and words. Ever since becoming captain, Yukari is seeing this side of Kazuya more often than not. From the first time they met, he has always been very sure of himself, never doubting his own abilities for a second. While his confidence is a little bit annoying, it's also a trait that Yukari likes from him. Not that she likes him any less when he's showing weakness like this; in fact, she's thrilled that he came to her.

"I have no leadership skills whatsoever, most of the guys can't stand me, and my batting skills aren't up to par… what went through Kantoku and Tetsu-san's minds when they recommended me as leader anyway?"

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it, her hand running through his hair never stopping, "Tetsu-san wasn't born with leadership skills himself, you know. He had to learn it the long and hard way. And you're going to have to do the same."

Kazuya pulls away from Yukari and holds her hands as he eyes her. She meets his eyes and says, "As for your batting skills, it will get better in time, as you realize your responsibility as the fourth batter. You've been doing pretty well lately, so don't worry too much. The only way to be better is to practice.

"As for the guys not being able to stand you," Yukari shrugs, "What's new?" when Kazuya laughs, she smiles softly at him, "You don't need people to like you. You said it yourself; we're not here to play house. You're not Tetsu-san, and no one is asking you to be like him. You are your own person. Screw people who don't like it.

"That title is heavy, I know. I've seen five captains crumble under the pressure of the responsibility. But they all manage. Do you know what that means?" Yukari smirks at Kazuya, "That means it's not impossible for you to manage. Not everyone in the team hates you. Kataoka-kantoku trusts you, Rei-san trusts you, Tetsu-san trusts you… _I_ trust you.

"Don't forget that you will always have an ally. I won't blindly agree with all your decisions, but know that I will never leave your side," Yukari says. She then looks down with a blush, "There you go. There's your pep talk. Now don't you dare pout at me and say that I've never given you one."

Kazuya lifts her head up by her chin and pecks her lips. He thumps his forehead against hers and sighs as he closes his eyes, "…I'm no match for you, Yuka-chan…" he then chuckles sadly, "I'm so pathetic…"

"…I don't mind seeing you like this," Kazuya expects her to look at him playfully, but when he opens his eyes, he's greeted by Yukari's serious expression, "I like that you can open up about this with me. It makes me feel like you trust me."

"I _do_ trust you. More than anyone," Kazuya immediately says, "I'm sorry. You know I don't like showing my weaknesses, so I don't really like to talk about these kinds of things."

"It's okay; I'm the same. But I want you to know that I will never judge you. Whenever you want to talk about anything, I'm all ears," Yukari says.

"And so am I," Kazuya says before he presses his lips against Yukari, this time firmer and longer than a peck. When they pull away from each other, they press their foreheads together and they smile at each other softly.

"Thanks for listening, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says.

"Thanks for confiding in me," Yukari says, "But you _do_ need to talk to Nabe."

Kazuya nods, "Yeah, I will, don't worry."

"And if there's any other advice I can give you… you might be interested in talking about this with Tetsu-san. He _has_ been in your shoes before. If there's anyone who can understand how you feel, it's him."

Kazuya nods, "I'll do that," he pulls away and kisses Yukari's forehead, "Good night, Yuka-chan. I love you."

Yukari blushes, but gives him a small smile, "Me too. Good night, Kazuya."

* * *

 **So I feel like I have to explain myself with how I wrote Kazuya, because I have been criticized once for how I portrayed him.**

 **I personally think that Kazuya shows a different side of himself when he's with Yukari because he trusts her very much. In one of the previous chapters, Yukari has explicitly said that she trusts Kazuya more than anyone. Because she has verbalized her trust for him, Kazuya feels that he can and should show and verbalize just how much he trusts her back. And I think that showing her that he's willing to share his worries and look pathetic and weak in front of her is the way to go.**

 **I'm sorry if any of you don't agree with me on this, but this is how I think he would behave. I hope you'll still enjoy the fic regardless! Thank you so much for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Because I'm a lazy bastard, I decided to not include one and a half matches like I did with Sensen's match in the first half of the fic. You'll see what I mean in this and the next chapters.**

 **And if anyone thinks that there are anomalies or something that doesn't really happen in real life, especially regarding the medical condition that Yukari has and the treatment she receives, please don't hesitate to correct me!**

 **Enjoy~!**

* * *

The atmosphere surrounding the dugout doesn't make Yukari's heart beat any slower. In fact, it's getting faster by the minute, and the match against Ugumori hasn't even started yet. The tension in the air is so palpable; it can be cut by a knife. Judging from the looks on the other players' faces, even the ones who didn't witness what happened in the cafeteria the night before, they can also feel the animosity in the air. Yukari trusts them all to switch gears for the match. After all, they all have the same goal.

"Swing for the fastballs until you're cornered and aim for the center field," Kataoka says to the players right before the match starts, "Don't wait for a juicy pitch. Take the initiative when you stand in the box. Let's win this!"

"Yes, sir!"

Kataoka nods and re-enters the dugout.

"Let's focus on the opponent before us," Kazuya says. Unlike previous matches, none of the players answer Kazuya's words. He turns to look at the other players with a frown, "Zono–"

"I got it!" Zono shouts, cutting Kazuya off. Yukari jumps a little in her seat as she squeezes her eyes shut as she tries to will away the dizziness, "I got it," Zono says, calmer this time. When Yukari opens her eyes, she sees Kazuya looking at her questioningly. She shakes her head as she tries – and fails – to convince him that there's nothing wrong.

The two teams then line up and the top of first starts with Seidou on defense.

The first Ugumori batter proves to be very persistent, as he keeps fouling Furuya's pitch. But Yukari thinks it's a given, since he fought for three four-balls during the match against Inajitsu. She has to applaud his bravery, though. It must be hard to resist the urge to run away from Furuya's fastballs.

Yukari sighs in relief when she sees a low ball coming from Furuya.

"Ball four!"

Yukari's eyes widen at the umpire's decision. _Are you freaking kidding me…?_ She thinks as she glares at the umpire from the dugout, wincing when her heart jolts painfully. She doesn't even have the energy to properly get mad at the umpire. The runner takes a big lead, and Furuya can't help but be distracted by him. _Don't think too much of the runner, Furuya…_

Unfortunately, he walks the next batter. _This is getting old, Furuya…_ Yukari thinks with a roll of her eyes. The next batter tries to bunt but fouls the pitch instead. Fortunately, it seems that Furuya himself has gotten sick of his own poor performance, and manages to strike the batter out.

The next batter is Ugumori's fourth batter, ace, and center of the team, Umemiya Seiichi. According to Nabe's data, he will swing at the first pitch, whatever the pitch is. Considering this knowledge, Yukari thinks it would be wise if they don't face Umemiya head on. Kazuya has told Furuya of this plan before they play, and because Furuya voiced no complaints, Yukari expects them to execute it with little to no problem. They _need_ to take Umemiya down.

"This is it! He needs to get the out here!" Oota says.

In Yukari's personal opinion as a catcher, there's no simpler batter than the ones like Umemiya, who swings like every pitch is a fastball. He's supposed to be easy to fool; given that the pitcher follows the catcher's every call. So when Furuya throws a high fastball instead of an out-low one like Kazuya asks for, Yukari frowns. Umemiya hits the ball to the backstop.

Yukari watches the runner as he takes a big lead. But Umemiya has proven himself to be quite the simple batter. He just swung at a high ball, so it should be easy for Kazuya to make the call. The problem is whether or not Furuya will follow Kazuya's lead. Furuya winds up and the runner on second steals.

"Steal!" Youichi warns.

Yukari winces as Furuya pitches another high one. Umemiya smacks the ball forward. Toujou chases after it and climbs the fence in an attempt to catch the flying ball, but it's futile. A three-run homer in the top of first. Yukari shakes her head in exasperation as she tries to pace her breathing.

 _It wasn't just the course or the height of the pitch. It's also because Umemiya is_ really good. _He managed to hit Furuya's most powerful pitch so far in this match out of the park,_ Yukari thinks as she watches the fielders gather in the mound. She's sure Kazuya is giving Furuya a piece of his mind.

She's sure Furuya can feel her fury, as she can see him flinching and taking a look at the dugout, meeting her glare. _We have a plan. I don't care if it was pride or whatever, but if you can't even listen to your battery partner, just get off the mound_ , Yukari thinks with an incredulous scoff. _I can't believe it. This is the attitude he's showing us after he gets the ace number? You've got to be kidding me._

It seems that whatever Kazuya has told him and what Yukari tried to convey through her glare have managed to get through to Furuya, which is proven by his low pitches. Eventually, Seidou manages to get their third out. Time to change.

When Furuya reaches the dugout, he catches Yukari's glare and immediately looks away. Yukari sighs in exasperation when she looks at his defeated puppy look, "You made do with your performance after the home run. But if you disobey Kazuya's call one more time, just remember that there are people who are more than happy to replace you on that mound."

"She meant me! Yukihime-senpai's talking about me, Furuya!" Sawamura shouts from the other side of the dugout

"…yes, ma'am," Furuya says with a pout. Yukari sighs as she rolls her eyes. When she pats his back as he walks past her, he cheers up immediately. _Good thing he's simple. If he's down on the dumps for too long, it could affect his playing…_ Since she's preoccupied by Furuya, she misses the amazed look that Zono gives her.

Yukari turns to look at Kazuya and widens her eyes when he lifts a hand toward the stands. She smirks. _Well… at the very least, he somewhat apologized to Nabe_ , Yukari thinks.

Youichi is up for bat first. Yukari watches as the infielders are stepping closer toward the plate. Umemiya pitches and Yukari draws the trajectory of the pitch. It looks like a wild pitch, but it breaks into the strike zone. She smirks in amusement when she sees the second pitch. _His control is amazing_ , Yukari thinks as the slow curveball arrives in the catcher's mitt. Her smirk is wiped off her face when her chest pulses painfully.

Yukari looks up in time to see Youichi jamming Umemiya's pitch. From what she saw on the video that Nabe brought the other day, his fastball looks much faster than it actually is after seeing the slow curveball. Fortunately, Youichi's legs don't fail him as he manages to outrun the ball.

"Safe!"

Kenjirou is the next batter and he does a sacrifice bunt to advance Youichi. Haruichi manages to hit the ball right toward Umemiya, but the pitcher stops it with his foot and outs Haruichi at first.

"Two outs! Let's end it here!" Umemiya shouts.

"Yeah!"

Yukari smirks. _End it here, you say…? With my boyfriend at-bat? Think again…_

Yukari watches as Kazuya persistently fouls Umemiya's pitches. He manages a hit on the slow curveball, but his timing is still off and he fouls it. She blatantly ignores Sawamura who is trying to give Kazuya pointers on how to hit the ball forward. _Why can't you follow your own pointers for just once?_ Yukari wonders.

Yukari winces as her chest jolts in pain, but she smirks when she sees that Kazuya has managed to see the course of the pitch and ignores a ball. It's now full count. _Come on, Kazuya. If there's a time to prove that you deserve to be the captain and the cleanup, it's now. Don't forget that he still has one more weapon up his sleeve_.

Umemiya winds up and Yukari starts to draw. She smirks when she sees the course of the slider. _Just like the one that Nabe caught on video. I'm glad Nabe noticed it_ , she thinks. Kazuya steps in and twists his hip as he hits the ball straight through center for an RBI single.

"Ye–"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Y-You took my line!"

Yukari jumps when Oota suddenly shouts Sawamura's line before Sawamura can. She leans back as she squeezes her eyes shut, hoping that when she opens them, the dizziness will dissipate. Unfortunately, just wishing for it doesn't work. When she opens her eyes, she still feels dizzy, and her breathlessness doesn't help.

 _Can I survive for the whole game like this?_ Yukari wonders as she watches Zono hitting the first pitch right down the left foul line like he has always does. Kazuya manages to run back home as Zono lands comfortably on first. Unfortunately, Furuya jams the pitch and Ugumori gets their third out. Time to change.

"Zono," Kazuya calls out as he puts on his elbow guard. Zono stops in his tracks and his eyes widen when Kazuya lifts a hand. Yukari can tell that the other players who are watching are waiting to see Zono's reaction. Zono huffs and doesn't leave Kazuya hanging. He smacks his hand for a high-five.

"I owe it to you for smacking his slider," Zono says, "I could see his fastball coming."

Yukari smiles in relief. At the very least, they are setting aside their differences for the time being to work together and win this game. That's enough for her. She takes a deep breath and exhales it harshly when it doesn't reach her lungs. The players filter into the field for the defense.

The next inning ends with no run for either team. During the top of third, Furuya even manages to strike Umemiya out using the original plan. But as the time goes by, Yukari's condition doesn't improve; in fact, she's feeling worse than ever.

At least, Kazuya manages to bring a smile to her face when he hits a two-run homer off of Umemiya at the bottom of third. When he returns to the dugout, he grins at Yukari, who smirks back weakly at him, "Nice batting," she praises.

His grin falters as he takes his batting helmet off and takes a seat beside Yukari, "Yuka-chan, you look kinda pale."

"Do I, now?" Yukari asks rhetorically. She doesn't want to take any chances, so she takes her phone out and texts her mother.

 _10/10 12:39_

 _Okaa-san_

 _Can you come pick me up at Edogawa Stadium? I'm not doing so well._

She doesn't need to wait for too long until her mother sends a reply.

 _10/10 12:40_

 _Okaa-san_

 _We're on our way._

She didn't bother trying to cover her phone, so Kazuya can see what she just sent to her mother, "Yuka-chan…"

"You have a match to focus on," Yukari says, "Forget about me; I've got it covered. Just… win," she says before she winces at the sudden pain from her chest. Kazuya doesn't look happy, but he obliges reluctantly.

The fourth inning goes by with no runs from either team, and at the bottom of fifth, Seidou scores their fifth and sixth runs. Unfortunately, Furuya jams the pitch and Ugumori gets a double play.

Yukari painfully realizes that since the beginning of the fifth inning, she has slowly lost her focus as her vision goes blurry. She doesn't dare rise up from her seat because she feels that if she does, she'll immediately lose her footing. She has given up on recovering her breathing and she can only wince whenever her heart jolts painfully. She has even closed her notebook, much to Sachi's confusion. All the information that she gets are solely from her hearing.

"Yukari… are you okay?" Sachi asks carefully. When Yukari doesn't respond, she frowns and puts a hand on her shoulder to start shaking her body, "Yukari…?"

But when Sachi shakes Yukari's body, the red-haired trainer-in-training's body gives itself up to gravity as she falls sideways on the bench.

"Yukari?! Get a hold of yourself, Yukari!"

"Ichikawa!"

"Y-Yukihime-senpai!"

The players from the diamond sprint toward the dugout when they hear the commotion. Kazuya's eyes widen when he sees his girlfriend's state.

"Aneki!" Haruichi calls out in worry.

"D-Do we need to call an ambulance?!" Oota asks in panic.

"She contacted her mother during the end of the third. I'm sure she's here now," Kazuya informs them as he kneels before Yukari, "Yukari, can you hear me?" he asks as he takes Yukari's hand, "If you can hear me, squeeze my hand."

He sighs in temporary relief when Yukari, albeit weakly, squeezes his hand, "Good. Listen, you're gonna get yourself checked out and we're gonna win the game. I promise you. Okay? Squeeze if you understand."

This time, Yukari manages to squeeze Kazuya's hand just a little bit harder than before. Kazuya squeezes her hand back, understanding what she wants. She wants them to forget about her and focus on winning the game. He brushes her sweaty bangs off of her forehead and he kisses her forehead.

That's the last thing Yukari feels before she finally loses her consciousness completely.

xXx

When Yukari comes to, she sees white ceilings. She groans when she realizes that she's back at the hospital. She actually expected to faint at some point; it was just a matter of time.

"Yukari!"

She turns to look to her right and sees her parents.

"Okaa-san, Otou-san… I'm sorry."

"It's okay… at least you've warned us," Kawanomu says as he kisses her hair, "Do you feel dizzy at all?"

Yukari decides to risk it and sits up. She sighs in relief when she doesn't feel any dizziness, "I feel better than I have this whole week."

"That's a relief," Yayoi says with a small smile. Yukari looks around the room with a frown, "What's wrong?"

"How long was I out…?" Yukari asks.

"Not too long. It's late in the afternoon," Kawanomu says.

"How was the match?" Yukari asks.

"Why don't you ask them?" Yayoi asks with a small smile as the curtain in front of her bed slides open to reveal Kataoka, Rei, Kazuya, and Youichi.

Yukari expected Kataoka and Rei, but she wasn't expecting to see her boyfriend and one of his vice-captains with them. Her eyes widen when she sees them, "You guys…"

"How are you feeling, Ichikawa?" Kataoka asks.

"I feel better," Yukari says.

"It's a good thing I saw Yayoi-chan in the stands, so it was easier to lead her to you," Rei says with a small smile.

"Your doctor just got back to Japan earlier this morning, and he was going to tell me in the afternoon. I guess we got lucky," Yayoi says. She pats Yukari's head with a small smile, but Yukari can see the worry still lingering in her eyes, "We're going to go and call your doctor," she then turns to look at the boys standing in front of her bed, "Please accompany Yukari until we return."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" the two boys say. Yayoi smiles at them and pats Kazuya's shoulder as she walks past him, and all the adults leave her with her teammates. Yukari looks to her lap, avoiding their questioning gazes.

"When did you plan on telling us, Ichikawa?" Youichi bluntly asks.

Yukari sighs before asking, "About what?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Youichi says with a shrug, "Don't take us for fools, Ichikawa. We noticed things have been weird since our last match with Inajitsu. You've fainted from unknown reasons twice now. Sometimes I saw you holding your chest like it was painful. Or you'd breathe like you've just run a marathon even though you weren't even _running_ in the first place."

"Come on, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says, "Don't keep us in the dark."

Yukari scoffs out a short, cynical laugh, "What good would it do for you guys to know?" she asks, "Telling you guys won't change anything and it would only worry you guys. Not to mention you would start treating me like I'm some kind of porcelain doll," she scoffs, "No thanks."

"Come on… give us some credit," Youichi says, "We might not be able to do anything, but it might lift some of your burdens."

"I know we can't promise that we won't treat you any differently…" Kazuya says, "But we would appreciate it if you trust us a little bit more, Yuka-chan."

Yukari looks at them in their eyes and sighs in resignation, "This information doesn't leave this room. Only you guys are going to know about this and _nobody else_ ; not even Zono. If I find out that someone else knows about this, I will personally hunt you down and make sure you can't play baseball for life, okay?"

"Our lips are sealed," Youichi says with a nod.

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it, "The fainting spell actually started before the match against Yakushi. Remember when I didn't come down for dinner? It was actually because after leaving practice early, I lost consciousness once I got into my room. I only woke up before breakfast."

The boys' eyes widen at this information.

"No wonder you didn't answer the door even when I almost banged it down," Kazuya says.

"And then the second one was during the simulation before the match against Sensen. That is when my parents convinced me to have my heart screened. They found out that a part of my heart muscle is thicker than normal, so it's harder for my heart to pump blood. The disease is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and apparently it's one of the leading causes of death in young athletes. If you remember, Kazuya, my sister died from the same thing."

If the boys' eyes can go any wider, they would, with the amount of shocking information Yukari is providing them.

"T-Then… are you…?"

"Let's not jump into conclusions, boys."

The boys turn around when they hear a man saying those words. Yukari bows in her sitting position, "Asano-sensei, I'm sorry for rushing you to return from your conference."

Her cardiologist and her parents' high school friend, Asano Takaaki, doesn't look a day older than 30, even though he told Yukari once that he's actually 42. He smiles warmly at Yukari and waves her statement off, "Don't be ridiculous. You're my patient; you take priority over any conference," he then approaches Yukari as Kataoka calls the boys to leave them alone.

The doctor then proceeds to ask her questions regarding her condition before she fainted. After he's done, Asano then calls her parents in.

"I'm going to change the dosage of her medications, see if it will work better. We still need to evaluate her condition further, but she might need surgery," Asano says, "Considering her unpredictable symptoms, I think it would be best if she stays in the hospital so we can observe if the change in dosage will improve her symptoms or not. Just to cover all bases, we would also like to get her tested to see if she's eligible to get surgery as soon as possible."

"Is that so…" Yayoi says; worry clear in her expression, "What do you think, Yukari?"

Yukari takes a deep breath – silently thanking whatever God she believes in when it reaches her lungs – and exhales it, "I really want to be there with them," she says with a pleading look to her father.

"I understand. But right now, your health is our priority," Kawanomu says.

"We'll run the tests as we observe you, so hopefully you won't be here longer than ten days, Yukari-chan," Asano reassures her, "If your condition improves before that, you can get out of here even faster. As long as you listen to what I say."

Yukari sighs in resignation, "Fine, I understand. Okaa-san, Otou-san, do you mind telling Kantoku and Rei-san while I tell the guys?"

Yayoi nods in understanding, "Okay."

"I'll go and get your room ready, then. A nurse will be by to take you to your room after it's ready," Asano says. Yukari nods at his departing figure. Her parents then leave her cubicle and not too long after, Kazuya and Youichi re-enter it.

"So what did he say, Yuka-chan?" Kazuya asks.

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it, "He's changing the dosage of my medication, but he said I have to stay here so they can observe my symptoms. They also want to run tests to see if I'm eligible for surgery."

"A surgery, you say…?" Youichi asks with wide eyes, "Your condition's that serious?"

Yukari nods, "Apparently, yeah. My symptoms don't really improve even after I've taken my medications properly, so…" she shrugs. She bites her lower lip as she looks at her lap. She takes a deep breath and looks up as she exhales, "Well, that's that. Please apologize to everyone in my behalf for worrying them, and… tell Yasushi-kun and Shuuji-kun that I'm leaving the team to them, at least until I return."

Kazuya raises an eyebrow, "You mean Kudou and Higashio? Why them?"

"They seem to be interested in the field of athletic training… if they're serious about it, it would be a huge help for me," Yukari says with a small smile, "And I hope Nabe will stay because we will need data on future matches. I also want them to come visit me whenever they're ready."

The boys look confused at her cryptic words, but doesn't question her, "Anything else?" Youichi asks.

Yukari smirks at them, "Tell everyone that I want to be there in the dugout when we win the fall tournament, so don't you dare lose before I return."

Kazuya smirks at her, "I promise you, Yuka-chan, as long as you promise to be there with us during the semifinals and the finals."

Yukari nods, "I promise," she says as she gives them a small smile, "So how was the match?"


	33. Chapter 33

**I'm going out of town next Saturday, and even though I will return on the same day, I'm not sure what time I will be back. So you're either going to get a new chapter on late Saturday or on Sunday. I'm sorry!**

* * *

Yukari is glad to know that even after she was taken to the hospital, none of the players lost their focus and managed to come out victorious. After getting the details on the match from Kazuya and Youichi, they return to the dorms with Kataoka and Rei. Before they leave, Yukari asks Rei to tell her if or when she manages to find a new manager or a new trainer or both. The scout nods at her before they leave the hospital. Yukari is then moved to her room. She's determined to return to the dugout at least at the semifinals and no more than that.

The next day, she spends most of her afternoon doing tests. When she was done, she notices that the visiting hours have begun. After the seemingly unending array of tests, Yukari actually hopes someone would come and visit her. As she's being wheeled to her room, she can hear some familiar voices coming from within it.

"Did we have the wrong room?"

"Uga…"

"Jun, did you hear the receptionist properly?"

"Well, I was wondering why you were so focused on the woman's chest."

"Shut up, Kominato!"

"Maybe we have to ask again…"

Yukari chuckles, gaining the attention of the nurse who is wheeling her into her room, "They're a rowdy bunch, aren't they, Yukari-chan?"

"You have no idea," Yukari says, shaking her head incredulously. The nurse opens the door to her room and she sees Tanba, Masuko, Tetsu, Ryousuke, Jun, and Chris, "You guys need to keep it down; this is a hospital."

The third years light up when they see her.

"The hell? You don't look sick! Are you here just to get away from the team, Ichikawa?!" Jun asks with a smirk.

"Uga! You look well, Ichikawa-chan," Masuko says with a smile.

"Maybe we need to give them a visit again…" Ryousuke says with a dark look on his face.

"Do I have to _look_ sick to be sick? And please don't disturb them. They're in the middle of a tournament," she says, rolling her eyes as she tucks her hair behind her ear, "And I'm not here because I'm running away from the team."

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it, Yukari-chan," the nurse says. Yukari nods at her in gratitude and the nurse leaves her room, leaving her with the third years.

"It's just the six of you?" Yukari asks.

"The others have college prep lessons, but they sent their regards," Tetsu says. Yukari nods at him.

"Are you okay, Ichikawa? Do you need help to get to the bed?" Tanba asks.

Yukari shakes her head with a small, grateful smile, "I'm fine, Tanba-san. The wheelchair is just hospital policy or something like that. I don't actually need it. Thank you for offering, though," she says as she stands from the wheelchair and returns to her bed, Ryousuke helping her with the covers. After she's sitting down on the bed with the covers over her lap, the third years surround her bed.

"How are you?" Tetsu asks.

"I'm feeling much better now. My doctor just doesn't want to take any chances," Yukari says.

"Does this have anything to do with when you passed out before the match against Sensen?" Chris asks. Yukari sighs. She should've known better than to keep things from Chris. Nothing escapes him, after all.

"Well… yes," Yukari says.

"…you don't wanna talk about it?" Ryousuke asks.

Yukari has learned that keeping things to herself doesn't help anyone; not even herself. After telling Kazuya and Youichi, she felt kind of liberated, especially when they didn't walk on eggshells with her. So she figures that she can talk about it without going into details.

Yukari heaves a sigh, "I have a heart condition. It's… gotten quite bad, since the doctor thinks I might have to have surgery."

The third years' eyes widen at the information.

"I don't want this to be a big deal, so please keep this between us."

For a couple of minutes, the room is washed in silence.

"So that's why you have to stay here?" Chris asks.

"Yes. They're running some tests to determine if I'm eligible for surgery," Yukari says, "But other than that, I'm fine. I plan to get out of here before the semifinals."

"Just don't push yourself, Ichikawa," Tanba says.

"Uga!"

Yukari nods, "I won't."

"Tch… this is coming from the trainer? You gotta be kidding me," Jun says.

"I'm not a trainer yet, Jun-san. And I'm sorry to say that even though I'm training to be a trainer, I'm still human; I'm still prone to sickness," Yukari says with a wry smile.

"Here I thought you were sick of the team because they stress you out. You skipped practice once because of that, right? Bad girl," Ryousuke asks.

Yukari flinches, "H-How did you know that…?" she then glares at Jun, who is supposed to be the only one who knows about it, "Jun-san!"

Jun grins at her, "Heh, you never told me not to tell anyone, so I thought I'd tell your brother on you!"

"If Ichikawa got so frustrated that she skipped practice, it must've been pretty bad…" Tanba says.

"I told you we should pay them a visit," Ryousuke sings.

"I told you, they're in the middle of a tournament," Yukari then smirks evilly, " _After_ the tournament, though… you can do whatever you like."

Ryousuke chuckles, "That's my sister."

"With you being here, that means the team has no manager or trainer," Chris says.

"I've asked Rei-san to find someone for me, but if she can't, I've asked Kazuya to tell Nabe, Yasushi-kun, and Shuuji-kun to take over for me," Yukari says.

"Nabe… you mean Watanabe?" Tetsu asks, "Miyuki actually came to me during lunch earlier. He talked about the fight over what he said to Watanabe."

"Oh, the fight between Zono and Miyuki?" Jun asks, "I've talked to Zono about it too."

"Really?" Yukari asks, "I'm glad."

"I've told Miyuki that I'd be happy to help whenever he needs it, but he will need your support the most, Ichikawa," Tetsu says, "You're the closest to him, after all."

Yukari nods, "I understand. But I hope he can get the support from the other team members as well."

"Don't you remember, Ichikawa?" Tanba asks, "When our team just started, Isashiki always picked a fight with Tetsu."

"That's true," Jun says with a nostalgic smirk.

"And look what happened," Chris says, "The team's relationship turned for the better and the team became solid."

"You've only just started. Of course there will be bumps here and there. This is just one of them," Tetsu says.

"It will pass, Ichikawa-chan. Don't worry," Masuko says with a firm nod.

"So don't stress out on it and just focus on getting better," Ryousuke says as he chops Yukari's head, "Those idiots need you."

Yukari nods and smiles at her upperclassmen, "I'll do my best. Thank you."

xXx

The next day is a day with fewer tests than usual. Yukari is rereading her notes when Nabe, Yasushi, and Shuuji come through the door to her room. She smiles at them, "I've been waiting for you guys to visit. I have to admit, though, I expected you guys to take your time."

The three of them nod at her as they approach her bed, "Miyuki told us to visit you when we're ready," Nabe says. He takes a deep breath as he looks at his companions. The three of them nod at each other, "And I think we all are."

Yukari eyes the three of them carefully, "Are you guys sure? I know the job isn't glamorous…"

Nabe nods in determination, "I'm sure. I have to admit, at first I was hesitant, but I'm happy to be useful to the team. We even talked about it with Kantoku last night."

Yukari's eyes widen, "Did you guys, really? Then… what did he say?"

"He asked us if we were serious," Shuuji pipes up.

"Are you?" Yukari asks.

"Yes," Yasushi says, "We've thought about it for a while."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time for a player to switch to manager in the team, but usually it's because of injuries, like Chris-senpai, or because they have no other choice but to switch over," Yukari explains, "I imagine Kataoka-kantoku didn't immediately say yes."

"He didn't…" Nabe confirms, looking a little bit shocked that she knows, "He told us that if we still have the will, we shouldn't give up and keep swinging our bats as much as we can."

"I figure he would say something like that," Yukari says, "The team has a lot of players but not everyone can play in games. I know that Kantoku feels bad about that. I don't want to force you to do this if you don't want to either, but if you guys are being serious, I won't stop you guys."

"Ichikawa…"

Yukari smirks at them, "In fact, I'm really grateful. I've had some help with managerial duties since I first started, but this is the first time I had to do it on my own because it's our year's team. Sometimes I even feel like I've bitten more than I can chew. I'm having trouble juggling my role in the team, so if you guys are serious, it personally would be a huge help for me."

The three boys smile at her.

"When I return, let's work hard together," Yukari says. The boys nod at her, "So… I don't expect you guys have things for me to watch?" Nabe then pulls out a DVD and a copy of his notes on Ouya Metropolitan High School, which is Seidou's next opponent, from his bag. Yukari smirks at him, "I knew I could count on you, Nabe."

"I thought you must've been bored, with nothing to do," Nabe says.

"You thought right," Yukari says, "What about you guys? Do you have any news on the guys? Did any of them hurt themselves?"

"Actually…" Shuuji starts, "Furuya injured his right foot during the bottom of fifth."

Yukari's eyes widen, "Really? How bad is it?"

"It's a first degree tear on the lateral collateral ligament. He's been told by the doctor to rest for up to two weeks," Yasushi says. Yukari winces.

"It's a good thing it was discovered early," she then frowns, "How did Kantoku find out? I can't imagine Furuya just coming up to someone and telling them that his foot hurts or something like that."

Yasushi looks bashful, "Higashio and I actually noticed that he wasn't looking as upright as usual after the game, so we talked to him about it and Oota-buchou took him to the hospital yesterday morning."

Yukari smirks at them, "Good job on noticing it. I'm sure he was trying hard to hide it."

"I'm sure you would've noticed it if you were there, Ichikawa," Shuuji says, "But Furuya didn't look too happy about it."

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Of course. You guys ought to be a bit harsher on them. They're all idiots who only think about baseball, so they need to be reminded the hard way that their health is an important factor for them to play."

"We'll keep that in mind," Yasushi says in amusement.

"Well, just remind him not to push himself. If he can do that, he should be fine within a few days," Yukari says. She then narrows her eyes, "But tell him this for me: just because his foot is fine doesn't mean he still doesn't have to rest for those two weeks."

Shuuji looks a little afraid as he nods.

"Well, that's all we're here to say, Ichikawa. We're all waiting for you," Nabe says.

"I'm leaving the team to you guys," Yukari says.

"Sure," Nabe says with a nod.

"Get well soon, Ichikawa," Yasushi says.

"Excuse us," Shuuji says before they all leave her room.

Yukari then plays the DVD as she makes notes before she goes to compare her notes with Nabe's.

xXx

The next day, much to her surprise, Shunpei came to visit her, along with Todoroki Raichi and Mishima Yuuta. Her mother told her to expect him to visit at some point, but she didn't think he'd bring his underclassmen. Her mother told her that after she reached out to Shunpei, he asked for details on her condition, and Yukari gave her permission to explain it to him. She was glad that he didn't make too much of a big fuss about it.

They spent their visitation talking about Yukari and Shunpei's childhood, simply because Todoroki and Mishima were curious about it. She was surprised when she noticed that Todoroki is much shier outside of the field. Whenever Yukari tried to talk to him, he'd go bright red. But eventually he became much more comfortable and started to talk, albeit just a little. Before he left, Shunpei vowed that they will win the fall tournament. Yukari only smirked and accepted the challenge.

The day after that, Takahiro came by with his parents, Yukari's uncle and aunt, who had heard the details of her condition from her parents. They didn't stay for too long, but her aunt worried over her and left a bottle of citrus-infused water. Takahiro told her that it's his mother's recent hobby. They both figured that she'll grow sick of it soon enough, like she always does with her previous hobbies.

The next few days go by with no visitors, but she has been getting daily texts from Kazuya. He told her that Ochiai taught Sawamura how to throw a change-up the night before the match against Ouya. Yukari has been thinking about suggesting an off-speed pitch to add to Sawamura's repertoire, but she didn't think that Ochiai would be the one to suggest it; right before a match, nonetheless.

But according to Kazuya, during that practice, Sawamura tried a variation of grips and the ball's break changed depending on his grip. He even admitted to missing a couple of pitches because the break was so unpredictable. Yukari knows that everyone's breaking ball is different, but Sawamura's is particularly interesting. Sawamura is actually, perhaps without his knowledge, developing his own pitch.

Judging from Kazuya's texts, she feels that there's something he's not telling her. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she misses seeing his face. With what Tetsu said about Kazuya needing her support more than anyone else's and Ochiai lurking around the field, possibly brainwashing people into submitting to his values, Yukari feels the _need_ to see him and talk to him face to face.

Yukari has to admit; Ochiai gives out good advices sometimes. He suggested the batting cages, and then he taught Sawamura a breaking ball that could possibly improve Sawamura's repertoire more than any of them could imagine. She just can't agree with him wanting to sacrifice the team in order to make Furuya the ace. Baseball is a team sport. The ace's back needs to be covered by a great support system.

Unless Ochiai can understand this, Yukari doesn't know if she'll accept him as the head coach, with or without his good advice, if Kataoka is to retire.

 _We_ need _to win._

xXx

October 17th is the date of Seidou's match against Ouya. Yukari keeps shaking in her seat because she's too restless. _Ah… I wanna watch the match…_ she thinks as she waits for the nurse to take her back to her room.

From the data she received from Nabe, Ouya seems rather intellectual. They like to play mind games with their opponents. It's like playing with a whole team with Kazuya's and her personalities. But both she and Nabe (according to his notes) discovered something while watching the video: Ouya subtly but drastically change the fielding position according to the batters. When they're throwing a fastball, though, they will move in one direction.

But, like she mentioned, Ouya is an intellectual team. At some point Ouya would realize that Seidou has noticed their changes in fielding, and they might use it against them. Yukari shakes her head incredulously. _What a troublesome team. But I guess it would be hypocritical of me to say that, considering I, myself, love to play mind games with the batters._

After returning to her room, Yukari waits until someone – _anyone_ – comes by and tells her the result of the match. But much to her surprise, it's not just Nabe who comes to visit her, but also Sawamura, Haruichi, and Furuya.

Yukari smirks, "I was wondering if you guys forgot about me."

"Of course we didn't, Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura says as he lifts up a fruit basket.

"Miyuki-senpai told us you like fruits, so we asked our parents to send us fruits from our hometowns," Haruichi explains.

"Well, I guess that's one good thing about being sick: free fruits. Thank your parents for me," Yukari says as she examines the contents of the basket. Her eyes light up when she sees apples, peaches, cherries, oranges, and grapes, "This is amazing. Thank you, guys."

Haruichi is quick to cover Sawamura's mouth before he can spout out whatever it was he was trying to say loudly while Furuya nods with a pleased look on his face.

"I heard you hurt your foot, Furuya," Yukari says. Furuya nods, "I suppose Yasushi-kun and Shuuji-kun took good care of you?"

Furuya nods, "They told me how to tape my foot so I can still field."

"That's good. But just because you can field doesn't mean you can pitch just yet. Wait until the doctor gives you the okay and rest up for the time being," Yukari says.

Furuya pouts, "Yes, ma'am."

"So how was the match? You guys won, right?" Yukari asks.

Nabe then proceeds to tell her about the match, with the first years piping up here and there.

"It's a good thing you noticed the change in fielding positions, Nabe. I noticed something was strange, but it was so subtle, I had to watch the video over and over myself to really be sure of it," Yukari praises.

"Well, I think they realized that we noticed the changes during the top of sixth, so we had to change plans," Nabe says.

"What the team did to overcome it is what's important. It's a good thing they didn't panic and adjusted to the situation," Yukari says. She turns to look at Haruichi, "Kazuya told me that you and Youichi-kun haven't been meshing well, but I guess I have nothing to worry about. I'm not gonna ask you to be like Ryou-nii, because you're your own self, but if you keep going all out on Youichi-kun, we'll definitely have a comeback of our iron defense wall."

Haruichi blushes, "Thanks, Aneki."

She then turns to look at Sawamura, "Congratulations on pitching your first full game, Sawamura. I want you to take a bath and rest up after you return to the dorm," she says, careful not to praise him because she knows he will make a fuss out of it.

"Yes, ma'am! Thank you, ma'am!" Sawamura shouts as he salutes her.

"Kazuya told me you learned how to throw a change-up?" Yukari asks.

"Yes, ma'am! The sergeant taught me how to do it!" Sawamura confirms.

"Was it usable?" Yukari asks Nabe.

"Well… he failed the first attempt, but it really worked in our favor in the end," Nabe says.

"Kazuya told me that the ball's break changes according to his grip."

"It did. The breaks are still unpredictable, so they still need to test it out some more," Nabe says. To be completely honest, the second she hears that Sawamura is learning the change-up, she felt the urge to catch for him. After Kazuya told her about his grip, the urge became almost uncontrollable. She has to make sure that she's well enough before attempting anything, though.

"Well, adding any pitch other than the fastball would be a huge improvement for Sawamura's repertoire. I mean, he could only throw the fastball, and he can't even control it properly. Same thing applies to that other idiot over there," Yukari says, gesturing toward Furuya with her head. Sawamura and Furuya flinch at her words. _But who knew he could improve so much with adding just one breaking ball?_ Yukari thinks.

"I thought she was finally praising me…" Sawamura sobs.

"A breaking ball…" Furuya mumbles under his breath.

"Eijun-kun, Furuya-kun, don't mind!" Haruichi says.

"How was the Sensen vs. Seiko match?"

Nabe talks in full detail about the match and Yukari personally can't wait to watch the video, especially after hearing about the three home runs in a row from Seiko at the top of fifth and the pitcher who came in at the bottom of eighth. With Seiko Gakuen's win over Sensen, they will be Seidou's opponent for the semifinal.

"Well, I guess we'll return to the dorms before the doctor kicks us out," Nabe says with a wry smile.

"That would be helpful, Nabe," Yukari says.

"See you soon, Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura says as he waves at her.

"Don't push yourself, Aneki," Haruichi says with a small smile.

"Get well soon, Ichikawa-senpai," Furuya says with a nod.

"Yeah, thanks, you guys. See you guys soon."


	34. Chapter 34

**Returned home much faster than I thought I would! Here's the next chapter~**

* * *

After one last test, as promised by her doctor, Yukari is discharged after exactly ten days. She still needs to wait for the test results, but the change in dosage is helping relieve her symptoms, at least just a little bit.

She still gets breathless sometimes, which is followed by dizziness, but at the very least, during her ten days in the hospital, the frequency of her chest pain reduces, even though she still complains about it sometimes. Asano was actually reluctant to let her go, but her condition has improved. As long as Yukari obeys her doctor's wishes, she should be fine. Yukari is grateful that he kept his words.

As Yukari sits in the car driven by her father to the dorms, she reviews the notes she made combined with Nabe's on Seiko. Before she knows it, her father has stopped the car in front of the school building.

"I'm sorry we can't walk with you inside, Yukari," Yayoi says.

"It's okay. I know Otou-san has an important meeting," Yukari says, "Good luck, Otou-san."

Kawanomu smiles, "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Don't hesitate to ask for help if you don't feel good, okay?" Yayoi says. Yukari nods.

"Yeah, don't worry about me," Yukari says. Her parents smile at her and she waves them off as they drive away. She sighs as she walks to the dorms. At the moment, the players must still be at school. The second years are currently on a school trip, so they don't actually have lessons, but the teachers still take attendance for some reason.

When she checks the clock, she sees that it's almost 2 PM, which means that lessons are about to end. She sighs as she decides not to go to school. She actually has perfect attendance if not for the times she was sent to the hospital and she still manages to maintain her grades, so a little hole on her otherwise perfect record won't hurt her. She decides to change and get ready to help preparation for the afternoon practice.

Before the practice starts, Yukari showed her face to the coach's room, and the head coach told her that she returned at the perfect time. He was thinking about holding an intra-squad practice match after seeing the second string players' desire to play. She raises an eyebrow in interest when he told her that he meant to let Ochiai coach the first string while he coaches the second string.

It's a good idea. Not only would it satisfy the second string players' hunger (albeit temporarily), it would also light a fire under the first string players. It would also give them an idea on how Ochiai coaches.

Yukari excuses herself from his room to go to the field before everyone else. At the field, she smirks when she sees the three managers.

"Anything I can help you guys with?"

The three managers turn their heads to the direction of her voice and their eyes light up in when they see whose voice it belongs to.

"Yukari!"

"Yukari-senpai!"

"Yukari, you're back!" Yui says as they wait for Yukari to approach them.

"Long time no see," Yukari says as she starts helping them with some of the equipment.

"How are you, Yukari-senpai?" Haruno asks.

"I'm feeling much better. I'm sorry I scared you, Sachi," Yukari says.

"Don't worry about it! At least you're back now," Sachi says, waving off Yukari's apology.

"We're sorry we didn't come visit you, Yukari," Yui says.

"It's okay. I'm sure the team's keeping you guys busy," Yukari says, "Besides, I wasn't there for long. I mean, Kazuya only came with Kantoku when I got admitted, and that's it, so don't worry too much about it."

"Seriously?!" Sachi asks in anger, "Geez, I don't know why you still date him, Yukari!"

Yukari chuckles wryly, "He texted me every night before he went to bed. That's enough for me."

"Really?" Yui asks teasingly, "So you won't ditch us and run to his arms if I say that he's coming to the field?"

"Of course I won't do something like that," Yukari says simply before checking her wristwatch, "Actually, he's weirdly early…" she says as she turns to look at where Yui is pointing out. She then nods in understanding, "Ah, he's with Kantoku; no wonder he's early."

Sachi clicks her tongue in disappointment, "I thought I'd finally have a blackmail material shot of you, Yukari… you have too much on me."

"I kinda wanna see Yukari-senpai love-struck on Miyuki-senpai…" Haruno says.

"You're not the only one," Yui admits.

"Nice try, but you're a hundred years too early for that, girls," Yukari says with a mocking smirk, "I have to go to the dugout. Work hard today, you guys."

"You too!" the three managers say in unison as Yukari approaches the dugout. The players have started to line up in front of it as Kataoka asks Ochiai to coach the first string.

She arrives just in time to hear Ochiai say, "Are you sure? I can make the first string players play however I want them to?"

"That's perfectly fine," Kataoka says, "However, we are in season, so I'd like to keep the same batting order."

"Well, that limits what I can do, but I'll do my best," Ochiai says.

"Thank you," the head coach then turns to look at the players, "The first string team's starting pitcher will be Furuya," he then looks toward Nori, "Kawakami, since Furuya just came off an injury, you'll be pitching from the sixth inning."

"Yes, sir!"

"For the second string team, Sawamura, you'll start."

Judging from his back, Yukari can tell he's a bit disappointed that he's put in the second string. She catches the head coach's eye with a silent permission to speak up, and he nods subtly.

"Don't look so down, Sawamura," Yukari starts, watching as the players turn to look at her, "Or are you underestimating our team's second string? Seidou only takes the cream of the crop, so don't worry; you'll be properly supported."

"Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura calls with wide eyes. Yukari then approaches the head coach and stands beside Oota.

"With Ichikawa's return, she will act as the trainer for both teams," Kataoka continues.

"Don't make my work hard for me, boys," Yukari says with a smirk.

"That's all," Kataoka says, dismissing the crowd. Yukari wordlessly follows him and the second string players to the third base dugout. She doesn't know what she would do if she's forced to stay for the whole game in the same dugout as Ochiai. She might be tempted to choke him.

"Eh? Yukihime-senpai, I thought you'd go to where Miyuki-senpai is…" Sawamura says when he notices her.

"Do I have to always be with him?" Yukari says, before she smirks coldly, "Or is that your way of saying that you don't want me here? You've gotten cheekier now that you've played a full match, haven't you?"

"N-No! That's not what I meant at all!"

"Ichikawa will go to the other dugout before the bottom of fifth," Kataoka says. Yukari nods in agreement as she takes a seat in the dugout while the second string players line up in front of the head coach, "We've been advancing well so far, but there's no 100% in sports. You get your chance when you least expect it. Are you all ready to play? I'll call the plays like an official game. Let's take them down!"

"YEAH!"

Yukari smirks at the way Kataoka fires the second strings up. Even the first string players can't help but turn to look at the second strings' dugout when they shout louder than ever. The players then get into the dugout.

"Ichikawa, I want you to analyze the second string players to see if we can use any of them in future matches," Kataoka tells her.

"I understand, sir," Yukari says with a nod.

xXx

"Line up!" Tetsu, who is acting as umpire at the head coach's request, yells. Both teams line up in front of the plate and bow at each other. The first string, dubbed Team A, is on offense.

The first batter for Team A is Youichi. He misses the first pitch, fouls the second, and jams the third. Higasa manages to catch the jammed pitch and throws it to Yamaguchi at first base before Youichi can reach it. The second batter, Kenjirou, jams the first pitch and Yamaguchi manages to catch the jammed pitch.

Yukari frowns when she sees Haruichi approaching the batter's box with a metal bat instead of his trusted wooden one. She can't imagine him asking for it, so she's sure it's because Ochiai told him to. Sawamura's first pitch is a change-up to the outside corner. Haruichi hits the next pitch right to center field, which is caught by the center fielder. Three outs and change.

Yukari smirks. _From what Ryou-nii told me, he's been batting with wooden bats since his childhood. He should be used to the weight of the ball as he hits it with the wooden bat. Now that he's using the lighter metal bat, the pitch he should've jammed actually went farther_ , she thinks as she bites her lower lip. _It might actually be a better choice for him, considering his power and height, but… wooden bats are Haru-kun's signature. It would be a shame for him to abandon it._

The first batter for Team B is Kijima, and he manages to keep up with Furuya's fastballs as he keeps fouling it. Yukari shakes her head in amusement. She knows that Kijima idolizes Ryousuke so much that he practically mimics the way he plays and bats. _But… because of that, it's kind of hard to find individuality in Rei-kun's plays. If he can adopt Ryou-nii's style and make it his own, however… he would be much better than he already is._

Kijima manages to fight for a walk to first base and he takes a big lead when he's at first base. The next batter is Seki. Furuya pitches a ball as he tries to bunt. Yukari nods in approval when he manages to perfectly bunt the second pitch, advancing Kijima to second base while he gets out on first.

The third batter is Hiroshi. He's the type to focus on one type of pitch, so he tends to swing on the first pitch and wait for the same one. Yukari knows that Kazuya knows that, so she's sure Kazuya is going to use this information against Hiroshi. As Furuya pitches, she draws the trajectory of his pitch and raises an eyebrow in interest. _A vertical slider… not to mention it has a good angle and speed,_ she smirks. _Well, well, breaking balls all around from the fastball-only idiots? This is getting interesting. But…_

"Ball four!"

 _If you can't keep it in the strike zone, there's no point_ , Yukari thinks as she shakes her head incredulously.

The next batter is Yamaguchi. Yukari smirks in approval when she sees that even though he jammed the first pitch, the ball goes into the center field for an RBI single. Higasa is up next, and Furuya messes up his slider again. _Don't think about it too much, idiot. The ball will break on its own if you don't try to_ make _it break_ , Yukari thinks.

Higasa hits the next pitch toward third base and Kanemaru jumps to catch it before it flies too far over his head. Yukari smirks. _I can practically feel them competing for the same position. Interesting._

"Higasa," Kataoka calls out to a slightly down Higasa, "Were you aiming for that fastball? You switched your aim depending on the count. Although you got out, it was a good idea."

Yukari smirks when she sees him looking so happy, steams practically shoot from his ears, "Don't mind, Shouji-kun. Just get the next one."

Shouji salutes her with a nod.

At the top of second, Sawamura faces off against Kazuya. He misses the first pitch, fouls the second, and gets a clean hit to the left-center field off of his change-up. Yukari smirks. _Well, he's caught that off-speed pitch in the last match, so I'm sure he's got the timing down pat. Not to mention it was a little high. He didn't miss that small chance._

Zono also manages to jam Sawamura's pitch to the left field, which Seki manages to catch. Furuya jams Sawamura's second pitch and gets retired at first. Team B gets their third out after Shouji manages to catch the ball Toujou jammed and throws it to Yamaguchi.

Yukari smirks. _He's keeping a cool head against the team's monster batters. That's a good sign_ , she thinks, "Sawamura, let me tell you something," she calls out.

"What is it, Yukihime-senpai?!" Sawamura asks with a salute.

"Kazuya got a hit earlier just because your pitch was a little high. If it was any higher, he would've hit it over the fence," Yukari smirks when Sawamura flinches, "You know what to do if you don't want that to happen, don't you?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

During the bottom of second, Furuya manages to get two strikeouts in a row, using pure brute force. _Well, his strength_ is _one of his best features, but if he keeps this up, he'll just tire himself out and make more work for me, Shuuji-kun, and Yasushi-kun_ , Yukari thinks.

Sawamura enters the batter's box, looking determined. Usually, no matter how determined he looks, he never makes contact. Imagine Yukari's surprise when he manages to hit Furuya's slider right toward second base. Haruichi manages to catch it and throws it to Zono before Sawamura can reach first base. Three outs and change.

Kanemaru is up first at the top of third. He hits Sawamura's change-up straight to third, gaining Team B one out. Sawamura's first pitch toward the next batter, Takeru, is a sharp inside pitch. Takeru jams the second pitch and Team B gets their second out. They're back to the top of the lineup and Yukari smirks when she sees Youichi batting left.

 _I know he's a switch hitter, but he hasn't batted left in a while. This should be interesting,_ Yukari thinks. She then frowns. _By the way… why is he a switch hitter in the first place…?_

Yukari smirks when Youichi smacks Sawamura's change-up and gets to first base. Sawamura keeps doing pick offs to first base in an attempt to retire him, but when he sees the chance, Youichi steals. Kenjirou gets a hit off of Sawamura's change-up and Youichi runs back home.

 _Hiroshi-kun, you need to ease up on calling for the change-up. You're just giving them the opportunity to get used to it. You also gotta mix it up a little; they're seeing right through your calls_ , Yukari thinks. She nods in satisfaction as Sawamura manages to strike Haruichi out with only fastballs. Three outs and change.

Furuya is doing just as well as Sawamura in holding the other team off. He also manages to get the hang of his slider. At the bottom of third, the second string fielders prove Yukari's words right with their fine play after Furuya manages to hit Sawamura's pitch, stopping the other team from scoring at the plate. _See? In terms of reliability on the field, they don't lose to the first strings._

The third and fourth inning ends with no scores from either team. Sawamura manages to hold off Team A from scoring at the top of fifth, and it's time for Yukari to move to the other dugout. Before she leaves, she reminds Sawamura to cool down and ice his shoulder properly, since he's being subbed out. She bows to the head coach and crosses the field to get to the other dugout.

"Excuse me," Yukari says with a bow toward Ochiai as she enters the dugout and takes a seat beside Sachi, who is scorekeeping for Team A.

"…you know, I keep wondering why Kataoka-kantoku let you in the dugout," Ochiai says, "I mean, the players hardly get injured, and all you do is just sit here. You even made a commotion in the dugout by passing out during the Ugumori match."

Yukari narrows her eyes, especially at the last sentence. She can't say she doesn't see his point. As a manager and trainer-in-training, she doesn't actually have to be in the dugout. As Ochiai mentioned, the players rarely get injured, and even if she wants to gather some data, she can do it from the stands with the other supporters. But it's not like she passes out in the dugout during a match all the time.

But before she can retort, someone else does it ahead of her.

"With all due respect, you have no right to say that."

Yukari turns to look at Kazuya, who is glaring at Ochiai. She can also see Youichi, Zono, Nori, and Kenjirou doing the same.

"Yuka-chan is one of the best support system in this team. If she's not in the dugout, it will hinder her from giving the immediate attention any injured players might need. Her presence in the dugout is very important. Please do not belittle it," Kazuya says. Yukari applauds his ability to stay being polite despite looking as pissed off as he is.

"Are you sure you're not being biased? I mean, you're dating her; of course you have to say that," Ochiai then sighs, "If I were coaching this team, I would've banned the players from dating. It would only be a distraction."

"What–?!"

"Kazuya, stop," Yukari firmly says. Kazuya clicks his tongue but obliges. Yukari grips her pen tight in her hand, trying not to choke the man sitting a couple centimeters away from her. When she calms down a little, she exhales softly. As she exhales, the temperature in the dugout goes down slowly.

"Coach Ochiai, I will be honest; I don't particularly care about your opinion on me. Even if you don't like me, nothing will stop me from supporting this team," Yukari eyes the new assistant coach coldly, "Unlike the players, I don't have to prove myself to you. But let me tell you this: you haven't seen the best of me."

Everyone in the dugout, including Ochiai, shudders at the change of temperature, "Also, my relationship with Kazuya hasn't brought any serious problems to the team so far. But I've promised Kataoka-kantoku and I will promise you now, that if his plays are affected by his personal feelings, I will be the first one to take action. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to do what I've always done in the dugout; supporting the team in the best of my abilities, with or without your approval."

Yukari turns her focus to her notes as she tries her best to ignore the assistant coach. She has a match to watch and gather data from.

Team B has changed their fielders and Kaneda Tadahiro, a first year pitcher who replaced Sawamura, gives away two runs at the top of sixth. After Hiroshi approaches him in the mound, though, he manages to pitch some strikes. _It's one of Hiroshi-kun's best features; he's really good at calming down the pitchers_.

When it's Team A's turn to defend, Yukari is glad to see Nori looking confident and pitching well. Her eyes widen and her hand starts to draw his pitch's trajectory when she sees him pitching a sinker. _I thought he sealed that pitch after last year's tournament?_ Yukari wonders. Higasa hits the pitch right down the left field foul line. _It's a shame it was too high. I've been waiting for him to pitch a sinker again_ , Yukari thinks.

With the count of two outs with runners on second, Nori pitches another sinker. This time, it works pretty well as second year shortstop Nakata Ataru swings at the pitch as it sinks. He manages to strike him out, gaining the third out for Team A.

The game ends with the score of 7-2 in favor of Team A.

xXx

After the match is done, Yukari follows the head coach and Ochiai to the viewer's box to report on her findings. When they reach the box, she sees an unfamiliar man in a suit coming out of it with Oota.

"Long time no see, Sakaki-kantoku," Kataoka bows at the man in suit. Yukari's eyes widen as she realizes who he is. He's Kataoka and her father's baseball coach back when they were in Seidou, Sakaki Eijirou.

"Tesshin! It's been a long time!" Sakaki says. When he notices Yukari, his eyes widen slightly, "I'd take a guess and say that this girl is related to Kawanomu?"

"You guessed right, sir," Kataoka says with a smile, "This is Kawanomu's daughter, Ichikawa Yukari. She's the team's manager and trainer."

Yukari bows deeply at Sakaki, "My name is Ichikawa Yukari. And I'm not a trainer yet. It's very nice to meet you."

Sakaki lets out a booming laughter, "I knew it! You look so much like your father! And that hair color… you must've inherited it from Nakajima Yayoi. I remember them very well when they were in high school. She was the one who had to hold Kawanomu from teasing Tesshin too much before Tesshin mauled him."

Yukari frowns slightly, "…Did Kataoka-kantoku and Otou-san not get along well in high school?"

Sakaki laughs, "They fought all the time! Tesshin had a nasty temper and Kawanomu really liked to tease him. But I thought that there was no one better to rein Tesshin in other than a catcher like Kawanomu. After three years of being battery partners, they became the best of friends. Not to mention Nakajima kept Kawanomu in check before Tesshin could blow up on him."

"Heeh…" Yukari gapes in amazement. Apparently, there are things that she still doesn't know about her father's high school baseball career.

"It was a shame he had to retire early though. I heard it was because he wanted to focus on his family. What does he do now?" Sakaki asks.

"Oh, he and Okaa-san opened a gym and training center for baseball players near Meiji Jingu," Yukari says. That gym is where Yukari learned everything she knows about athletic training. Since she's been so busy with the team, she hasn't gone there in a while. When she returns home, she should pay a visit to the gym and ask his father for more details about his time in high school.

"Is that so? I'll drop by sometime later to say hi. In the meantime, send my regards to your parents," Sakaki says. Yukari nods with a small smile.

"Oh right, Sakaki-kantoku! This is Coach Ochiai," Oota introduces the assistant coach to Sakaki, "He was an assistant coach at Kokaidai's Sagara High School before coming here."

"Oh? Sagara's baseball is very meticulous. Please take good care of the team," Sakaki says with a slight bow, "I think you'll bring a breath of fresh air to the team."

"Very well," Ochiai says as he straightens up.

"Anyway," Sakaki says as he turns to look at Kataoka, "I didn't come here to talk about the good old days. I came here to give you a heads-up, Tesshin. I've been away from high school baseball for seven years, but a certain school has been quite insistent that I be their coach. I enjoy the slower pace of college baseball, but something inside me is telling me to take it. Yura Engineering High School. I'll be in West Tokyo with you."

Yukari's eyes widen at his words. _There's a chance we might go up against a school that Otou-san's coach is coaching? Are you kidding me…?_

"Yura's the school that merged with Senagawa!" Oota exclaims, "I-It will be even harder to make Koshien now."

Sakaki chuckles, "But I'm getting old. I doubt I'll be able to stick around for long. Don't run away, Tesshin."

Yukari bites her lower lip at his words. She wonders if Sakaki somehow knows that Kataoka is leaving the team or something. She exhales softly as she looks determinedly at Kataoka's back. _We_ have _to win this tournament. We're not going to let you go that easily. We've gone too far to stop._

Not long after that, Sakaki excuses himself and Yukari follows Kataoka and Ochiai to the viewer's box for her report.

xXx

After dinner, Yukari sits with Nabe, Yasushi, Shuuji, Nori, Furuya and Sawamura in the cafeteria for a feedback.

"Eh? A weakness?" Sawamura widens his eyes.

Yukari smirks, "He's right. I gave you a hint, but I guess you're too dumb to read between the lines."

"I can only talk about statistics, but left-handed batters frequently hit your change-up," Nabe says.

"W-What… did you say…?!"

"I told you, didn't I, Sawamura? Kazuya managed to hit your change-up deep into center field because it was just a little high. He would've sent it out of the park if it was any higher," Yukari says, "I said that because I wanted you to pitch your change-ups lower."

Nabe nods, "Change-up is an off-speed pitch, after all, so if it goes a little high, it's just a meatball. When you pitch the change-up to left-handed batters, really focus on pitching low."

Yukari sighs in exasperation, "I asked you if you knew what to do, and you said yes. Did you really know what to do or did you just say it so I wouldn't get mad at you? Don't expect me to hold your hand every step of the way and think for yourself."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Sawamura bows deeply.

"But it's incredible that you only gave one run to the first string," Nabe praises. Sawamura lights up at his words. The two managers then turn to Furuya, "Furuya, your problems are the early game and base on balls. But you quickly recovered in the second inning, so you're improving," Nabe starts.

"Your other problem is your inconsistent sliders. You have to remember not to try and _make_ the ball break. With your initial fastball speed, the right grip, and the right snap of wrist, it will break on its own," Yukari adds.

"But, with that being said, there were a few good sliders in there too. You've gotten tough," Nabe says. Furuya lights up just like Sawamura.

"It's not easy to get a compliment out of Nabe-san," Sawamura says.

"If you think it's hard to get a compliment from Nabe, you guys have no chance with me," Yukari says with a smirk.

"Gaaah, I want Yukihime-senpai to praise me!" Sawamura shouts. Furuya nods furiously in agreement.

"Now, let's talk about you, Nori," Nabe and Yukari turn to Nori. This time, Yukari starts, "It looked like your sinkers were effective, but you weren't swinging your arm fully, so it wasn't as effective the second time around, which is why you gave up a run at the end."

"Nori, we're in the same grade, so I won't sugarcoat it," Nori nods at Nabe, "Your pitching wasn't as good as the result."

Nori slumps and pouts. Yukari smirks, "Nabe, you should give the first years the same treatment. Remember not to praise these kids too much; it gets to their heads."

Nabe chuckles, "I'll keep that in mind," Sawamura and Furuya flinch at their words. They adjourned the meeting and Yukari stays with Nabe to discuss what they find during the match and the data on Seiko.

xXx

One night before the semifinal match, some of the players are hitting the weights, staying in the cafeteria watching the Seiko video with Nabe, or swinging their bats at the back of the dorm. Yukari walks with some of the second year players and Haruichi and find Sawamura and Furuya in the indoor practice building.

"What's that?" Youichi asks with a grin, "That's a rare combination. Are they exchanging information about their newly learned breaking balls?"

"Wait, that's it?" they hear Sawamura ask.

"Yeah. Like Ichikawa-senpai said, you don't wanna try to break it," Furuya says.

"I throw like this," Sawamura says as he grips the ball with all his fingers.

"With all your fingers?" Furuya asks.

"Oi, you guys!" Kazuya calls out. The two first year pitchers turn to look at him, "Being curious is good, but the game's tomorrow. I won't ask for anything you can't use effectively."

"You don't have to say that! Of course I know that!" Sawamura yells as Furuya's aura activates beside him, "I know I have no dexterity!"

"Do you think we were born yesterday?" Furuya asks lowly.

"We're using our heads too!" Sawamura defends them, "You're like a mom, Captain!"

"Is that so? Good for you, then," Kazuya says.

"We'll shut him up tomorrow! Right?" Sawamura says to Furuya, who nods.

"Oh, right. Kantoku told me to tell you…" Kazuya says.

"What do you want?" Sawamura asks.

"Furuya's starting tomorrow," Kazuya simply says. Yukari smirks when everyone looks shocked at Kazuya's declaration.

"O-Oi…!" Youichi hisses.

"Your ankle seemed better during the intra-squad match, also when we checked it afterwards, so we told Kantoku you can return to pitching," Yukari says, "And by we, I mean Yasushi-kun, and Shuuji-kun, and I."

"Height and control will be important. Everyone in Seiko swings at full speed, so we have to be wary of big hits. It would be ideal to get the first batter of every inning out," Kazuya says.

"Yeah," Furuya agrees.

"Oh, right, Sawamura. Make sure you're somewhat ready too."

"Somewhat?!"

"Not just tomorrow, but looking ahead to the final, we're definitely gonna need you."

"I can start tomorrow, if you'd like!" Sawamura shouts.

"No, thank you. Wouldn't want to go against Kantoku's words," Yukari says. Kazuya laughs at Yukari words. Sawamura flinches violently, "Don't stay up too late, you two," she says as she walks away, followed by the other four.

"How can I sleep after such regrettable news?!" Sawamura shouts.

"You didn't have to say that when they were together," Youichi says as they walk away from the practice building.

"Hmm?" Kazuya looks at Youichi before grinning, "I didn't like how those rivals were getting along."

Yukari nods, "I agree. It was disgusting to watch."

"You devil couple!"

"You wanna swing some later?" Zono asks Haruichi.

"Yes, sir!"

"Don't overdo it, guys," Yukari reminds them.

"Okay, Aneki!" Haruichi nods.

"I'm gonna call it a night. If my doctor knows I'm staying up late, he'd drag me back to the hospital kicking and screaming," Yukari says with a wave.

"I'll walk you to your room," Kazuya says.

"Good night, Ichikawa!" Zono and Youichi say.

"Good night, Aneki!"

"Good night, guys. See you tomorrow," Yukari says. They go their separate ways when they reach the stairs of the dorm. Kazuya and Yukari walk to her room in silence. When they reach her door, Yukari turns to face him. He immediately pulls Yukari to his arms.

"I've missed you, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says. Yukari nods to his chest. She wraps her arms tightly around Kazuya's torso, hoping that it will convey just how much his feelings are reciprocated.

"…did something happen when I wasn't around?" Yukari asks as she pulls her head away from his chest but stays in his arms, "You and Zono are already on better terms, but I felt that there's something you're not telling me."

Kazuya chuckles self-deprecatingly, "You know me too well, Yuka-chan. But I assure you; it's fine now. Coach Ochiai just said something that I couldn't deny. But things have changed, and now I can confidently prove him wrong."

"That's good," Yukari says.

"Are _you_ okay? Coach Ochiai did say those things to you," Kazuya asks.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "It's not the first time someone said that. To be honest, at first I didn't know why Kantoku let me in the dugout as well. But I already know that he did that because, like you said, should any of the players get injured, I can attend to them much quicker if I was in the dugout."

"That's true," Kazuya says, "Besides, he hasn't seen you in action. When he does, he'll definitely approve of you, Yuka-chan."

"Like I said, I don't need to prove myself to him. I will continue to support the team, with or without his approval," Yukari says before she smiles at Kazuya, "But thank you for defending me. I could've handled it myself, but it felt good to hear you say those words."

"I was just telling the truth," Kazuya says as he bumps his forehead to Yukari's, "You're an irreplaceable presence in the dugout, Yuka-chan. I wasn't the only one mad at him. I'm sure Kuramochi, Zono, Nori and Shirasu would've jumped to your defense like I did."

"I'm glad," Yukari says as she closes her eyes in contentment. She takes a deep breath and exhales it softly, "Thank you for keeping your promise. I'm glad I can return to the dugout."

"Thank you for keeping _your_ promise," Kazuya says, "Not having you in the dugout felt strange. It's good to have you back," he says as he pecks Yukari's lips.

"It's good to be back," Yukari says as they pull away from each other, "Good night, Kazuya."

"Good night, Yuka-chan."


	35. Chapter 35

**Seidou's "Ouja no Kakegoe" is one of the coolest things I've ever heard; Tetsu's and Kazuya's versions both.**

 **Especially when you see it performed live by the voice actors; it's somewhat cooler. Or maybe it's just me.**

 **Here's the first part of the Seidou vs. Seiko match! Enjoy~!**

* * *

The semifinals of the fall tournament are held in Meiji Jingu stadium. The first match is Seidou vs. Seiko at 10 AM, and Ichidaisan vs. Yakushi will be held at 12:30 PM. When the team reaches the dugout, they can see the stands are filled with spectators. Considering it's the semifinals, Yukari can't say she doesn't understand why. Not to mention Ichidaisan is going to go up against Yakushi again, just like during the summer regional tournament.

The Seidou players are huddling up in front of the dugout. This is the first time Kazuya will be leading the Seidou chant, and Yukari can't wait to hear it.

"It's rare that Miyuki wants to do it," Oota says.

"It's true," Yukari agrees, "But I'd be lying if I say I wasn't looking forward to it."

The players put a hand over their hearts as Kazuya starts.

"We… are not kings," Kazuya says. Yukari's eyes widen, but then she smirks. He's doing this his own way, "We're challengers!"

The players, who looked taken aback at first, grin at him, "YEAH!"

"Who's shed the most sweat?!"

"SEIDOU!"

"Who's shed the most tears?!"

"SEIDOU!"

"Are you ready for the fight?!"

"YEAH!"

Yukari grins when she can hear Seidou's supporters answering from the bleachers above their dugout.

"Bearing pride in our hearts, we are after the national crown!" Kazuya points toward the sky with his right hand, with the other players following suit, "Let's go!"

"YEAH!"

xXx

Before the players go to the field, Yukari checks and tapes Furuya's ankle one last time. While it looks fine, Yukari reminds him not to overdo it or he might injure it again. Furuya nods, but Yukari isn't really convinced. She knows his habit of going overboard. She also knows that he would do anything to keep the mound to himself, including not telling anyone about his injuries. She needs to keep a close eye on him.

The top of first starts with Seidou on defense. According to the data Yukari and Nabe compiled, when Seiko's first batter, Masu Shinichiro, gets on base, they are more likely to score, as he is Seiko's captain and central figure. Furuya needs to be careful with his first pitch.

Furuya's first pitch is a high ball. The second and third ones are a strike. His fourth is a vertical slider, but Masu doesn't swing at it, so it's a ball. The fifth one is another ball and it's now a full count.

Yukari sighs. _I guess the only way to fight now is by brute force. It's a good thing you're good at that, isn't it, Furuya?_ Yukari winces a bit when Furuya pitches a strike to the same place as his first pitch. _Too close. He should've thrown it right down the middle. We're lucky it wasn't called a ball._

Furuya continues his streak as he strikes out all three of Seiko's first batters.

"Yeah! The early game looks good!" Oota cheers.

"Nice pitch, Furuya!"

"That's our Ace-sama!"

At the bottom of first, Youichi hits a triple between right and center field. As Kenjirou steps into the batter's box, Seiko's fielders move in just in case of a squeeze play. He hits and gets retired at first base as Youichi runs home.

Haruichi also hits one into center field and gets to first base. As Seiko's pitcher winds up, Haruichi and Kazuya execute a successful hit and run. Haruichi gets to third base as Kazuya steps into first. Zono hits deep into left field, sending Haruichi home and Kazuya to second. Furuya hits to the center field, but the ball is caught by the fielder. Eventually Seiko gets their third out and it's time to change.

For the next batter, Furuya keeps throwing balls as the batter keeps swinging. When the batter swings at Furuya's vertical slider, Yukari can't help but smirk in amusement. _I love it when the batters are one track minded_ , she thinks. Furuya does the same with the next batter. The last batter hits a high ball but Takeru catches it at the fence. The inning ends with another three for three.

At the bottom of second, Toujou manages to get to second base. Takeru smacks the ball into center field, sending Toujou home. The match continues with Youichi fighting for a walk to first base. Kenjirou gets a hit and Takeru runs home.

"Seiko Gakuen has announced a change in players," the P.A. system announces.

 _Well, considering the pitcher's performance, it's not surprising_ , Yukari thinks.

"Pitcher, Kojima-kun, will play center field. Replacing Kojima-kun as pitcher will be Ogawa-kun. Batting seventh and pitcher, Ogawa-kun."

"A huge one appears!" Sawamura exclaims. Yukari rolls her eyes. _He's not wrong, though._

Haruichi is up next and he manages to foul one pitch. The count is 2-1, and Ogawa pitches another ball. _He's tall, so the ball comes from a higher angle, and he's quite big, so his fastballs must be heavy. But so far, all of his fastballs are balls_ , Yukari thinks. Ogawa pitches another ball and now the bases are loaded.

Yukari sighs. _This guy doesn't have a good control, so it's hard to read him… hopefully luck is on our side, Kazuya._

Ogawa pitches and Yukari's eyes widen when she sees the course. The ball hits Kazuya on his right upper back.

"Dead ball!"

Yukari places a hand over her heart as she tries to calm its beating down. She turns to look at Kataoka and he nods at her. As Seiko calls for a short time out, Yukari lifts a hand as she steps out of the dugout. When the umpire gives her permission, she runs toward Kazuya at first base.

"You okay?" Yukari asks, "His pitch looked heavy from the dugout."

"It hurt like hell," Kazuya answers with a pained smirk as he takes his elbow guard off and hands it to Kijima.

Yukari pokes the part that was hit by the ball and Kazuya winces. She rubs around the area for bumps and finds none. She tells him to move his arm and nods in relief when he says it doesn't hurt.

"I can't say for sure without looking at it, but hopefully it doesn't bruise. It only hurts when I poked at it, right?" Yukari asks. Kazuya nods, "Then I'll let it go. If it hurts even without contact, tell me immediately."

"Got it. Thanks, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says. Yukari jogs back to the dugout, pulling her cap off as she walks past the umpire, and catches Yasushi's eyes in the bleacher as she looks up to it. She nods at his questioning look and he visibly relaxes.

"How is he?" Kataoka asks when she returns to the dugout.

"He's fine, but I will check it further later to make sure it's not bruising," Yukari says. Kataoka nods and she returns to her seat as the game continues. The next batter is Zono.

Yukari frowns when she sees Zono leaning back at the first pitch. _He throws an inside pitch right after hitting Kazuya…_ she thinks. Zono swings at the next pitch but misses it. The third pitch is a ball, and Zono jams the fourth pitch. Seiko gets a double play.

 _He's like a different person after that dead ball…_ Yukari thinks as the players return to the dugout. She rechecks Kazuya's back and sighs in relief when he tells her that it doesn't hurt anymore even when she pokes at it. She pats his shoulder before he starts to put on his gear.

The third inning ends with no runs scored from both teams. Seiko is back to the top of the lineup. Furuya pitches two sliders in a row and Masu jams the second one. It goes past Youichi but he manages to catch it. Masu slides to first base after Youichi throws the ball.

"Safe!"

The next batter swings hard at Furuya's pitch. It's a grounder to the pitcher, but Masu advances to second base. The next batter also swings hard, but misses the first pitch. He hits the next pitch right down left field. One out with runners on first and third. Next up is the cleanup batter, Nagata.

Nagata also swings hard and misses the first pitch. Yukari frowns when she sees the course. _Too high_. Her eyes widen when Furuya pitches again before Kazuya is ready to catch it. The pitch goes wide. If Kazuya's reaction was just a bit slower, it would've hit the backstop. Kazuya then calls for a time out.

 _These batters are no joke… it's like a team full of Tetsu-san. Their swings are scary_ , Yukari thinks.

After the time out, Furuya then pitches a low and away strike. _It seems that he's calmed down a bit…_ the batter then jams the next pitch. Zono catches it and throws it to Youichi, who steps on second base, outing the runner going to second, and he throws to Furuya, who is covering first base, creating a 3-6-1 double play. The fielders then return to the dugout, showering Furuya with praises of his last pitch.

The bottom of fourth, Takeru gets out after the ball he hit to center field is caught by the fielder. They're back to the top of the lineup. Youichi enters the left-handed batter's box. _Considering he managed to hit Sawamura's change-up when batting left, there's nothing that says that he can't do the same with Ogawa's screwball_ , Yukari thinks.

Youichi misses the first pitch, jams the second, and gets out before he steps on first base. Yukari sighs. _Of course it's not that easy, huh…_ Kenjirou also gets jammed and retired at first. Three outs and change.

At the top of fifth, Seidou gets their two outs with the help of the fielders. While Furuya doesn't strike anyone out, he's managed to keep his pitches low. But when Ogawa is up for bat, he hits Furuya's pitch over the left field fence. _A home run out of that pitch…? It wasn't even_ that _high… they're really terrifying, those batters… just a little bit high, and they hit it out of the park. Not to mention, he's not even in the cleanup,_ Yukari thinks as she bites her lower lip.

The next batter hits Furuya's pitch toward right field, but thanks to Kenjirou, Seidou gets their third out. The players return to the dugout and Yukari frowns when she sees Furuya almost dragging his feet to the dugout. _Isn't he… sweating too much?_ Yukari wonders, _Don't tell me…_ She stands up from her seat but stops in her tracks when she sees Furuya looking bright. _D-Did Kazuya say something weird to him…?_

"Furuya," Yukari calls out. Furuya turns to look at her and she throws a towel to his face. He takes the towel off of his face and wipes off his sweat with it, "Don't overdo it."

Furuya's movement pauses for one second before he nods at Yukari, "I understand, Ichikawa-senpai."

Before Haruichi leaves for the batter's box, the head coach stops him, "There are some things you need to keep in mind when you bat," Kataoka says, "That pitcher tends to start with an inside pitch. So go for his first fastball."

"Yes, sir!" Haruichi nods before he goes to the batter's box.

As per Kataoka's advice, Haruichi hits Ogawa's first fastball into the left field. Yukari watches as Kazuya takes Haruichi's cracked wooden bat from the ground. _That pitch was so heavy that it cracked his bat… he's gonna have to hit with a metal bat in his next at-bat_.

Next up is Kazuya. Ogawa pitches a high inside pitch, which Kazuya avoids. His second pitch is a deep inside pitch to Kazuya's abdomen. Yukari clicks her tongue in irritation. _Is he_ trying _to hit Kazuya or something? Bastard._ Eventually Ogawa throws his fourth ball and Kazuya is walked to first base.

Yukari keeps Furuya in her line of sight as Zono enters the batter's box. Kataoka gives him a sign to bunt and he does. Yukari's eyes widen at the speed Ogawa is going as he chases after the bunted ball. Ogawa then outs Haruichi going to third. _He's a lot faster than I thought. His reflexes are good, too,_ Yukari thinks as she adds this info to her notes.

Furuya enters the batter's box. Yukari flinches slightly when she can practically feel his determination from the dugout. She bites her lower lip as she keeps an eye on his right foot. Furuya swings and misses the first pitch. He hits a grounder past the pitcher, but the third baseman catches it and throws it to first base for a double play. Yukari follows Furuya's every move. She bites her lower lip in worry when she sees him stepping into the first base.

"Furuya," Yukari calls out when he reaches the dugout, "Come."

"Ichikawa?" Oota wonders as Furuya's eyes widen. The other players are watching them, but Yukari doesn't say anything as she looks expectantly at Furuya. The first year pitcher looks to his feet and walks toward Yukari obediently.

"Toujou, where's Furuya?" Yukari hears Yasushi call out from the door.

"Kudou and Watanabe? What's wrong?" Oota asks.

"Yasushi-kun," Yukari says, "You noticed too, huh?"

"I thought you would need some help," Yasushi says. Yukari smirks at him.

"W-What's wrong, you two?" Oota asks.

"Oh, I hope I'm wrong, but I think he's hurt his ankle again," Yasushi says. The players in the dugout gape in shock. Yukari takes a towel and hands it to Furuya.

"You think you can fool us with you dragging your foot like that? Don't underestimate us," Yukari says, "Not to mention you were sweating like crazy," she says as she takes Furuya to the waiting room below the dugout, followed by Kataoka, Oota, Kazuya, and Sachi.

"We've momentarily paused the game to a Seidou injury. Thank you for your patience until the game resumes," Yukari hears the P.A. system announce as she checks Furuya's ankle. Yasushi then tapes Furuya's ankle and then Furuya tries to stand on his tiptoes with it.

"How is it?" Yasushi asks.

"It's a lot easier to move like this. It just feels a bit weird. It should be fine," Furuya says.

"I told you not to overdo it," Yukari says with an exasperated sigh, "It was after the top of fifth, isn't it?" she eyes Furuya's expression as she asks this question, "Or maybe even before that," when Furuya flinches slightly at her words, she sighs again, "I knew it. You shouldn't have kept quiet. If you keep playing with an injury like this, it would be serious. I mean career-ending serious."

Furuya flinches at her words.

"Considering your pitch count, we should switch you out soon," Kataoka says, "We have a four-run lead, so if you push through and make it worse for tomorrow, it would hurt the team more."

"The lead doesn't mean anything," Furuya says.

"Eh?"

"That pressure… I can't walk off the mound right now."

Yukari looks at Furuya and sighs sharply, "You're such a burden, for goodness sake…" she says before she turns to look at Kataoka and waits for his verdict.

xXx

"Y-Yukari, calm down…" Sachi says as Yukari sits beside her, fuming.

"What a nuisance…" Yukari sighs, "These idiots are just making more work for me," she says as she watches Furuya enter the mound. Ultimately, Kataoka let Furuya continue pitching. Yukari can't say she doesn't understand his reasoning. Furuya _is_ the team's ace, and he's starting to play and think like an ace. Stopping him right there would be a damn shame.

Kataoka let Furuya back to the mound with one condition: he must not selfishly walk a batter. Kataoka then turned to look at Yukari and asked her to keep an eye on Furuya. She could hear the apologetic tone in his voice when he said it. Yukari told him that he didn't have to tell her that, since it was already her intention from the start. Yukari sighs sharply as she refocuses on the match.

At the top of sixth, Furuya gives up one run. Ogawa is doing a good job at stopping Seidou from scoring. At the bottom of sixth, Seidou fails to score a run. At the top of seventh, Seiko scores another run with back-to-back doubles.

"Furuya's fastballs are getting hit so easily!" Oota says, "Maybe he's reached his limit."

Yukari eyes Furuya warily and widens her eyes when he turns to look at the fielders. He puts a fist over his heart and turns back to look at the plate. She sighs, "No…"

"Eh?"

"Not maybe. He's _way_ past his limit," Yukari says as she eyes Furuya worriedly. While his pitches' speed is looking well, Yukari can tell that he's tired. The head coach then calls Sawamura into the dugout.

"Seiko can hit Furuya's pitch with ease. Don't try to take them out by force. Pitch to the corners," Yukari hears Kataoka say to Sawamura, "I want to see the pitching you showed against Ouya."

Yukari sighs softly when Seiko's next batter pops the pitch to left field for Seidou's second out. Two outs with a runner on second and Seiko is back to the top of their lineup. Furuya pitches a slider and Masu hits it back to Furuya. Yukari gasps sharply when Furuya's glove is forced off of his hand by the force of the ball. Fortunately, it also stops the ball's momentum. With the last of his strength, Furuya takes the ball from the ground and throws it to Zono for their third out.

Yukari clicks her tongue in irritation as she glares at Furuya. The players in the dugout and the ones approaching it stop in their tracks as they can all feel the temperature dropping. Furuya looks to his feet, avoiding her eyes.

"Are you a kid? How many times do I have to tell you? Don't. Overdo it," Yukari growls.

"Ichikawa, calm down," Kataoka says. Yukari sighs sharply in annoyance, "Great job pitching. Take a break."

"That hit close to your wrist, didn't it?" Kazuya asks, "Let Yuka-chan check it."

"The whole team recognized your unyielding spirit. You can leave the rest to them," Kataoka says. Kazuya puts a hand on Furuya's back and leads him to the back of the dugout with Yukari following them. She then checks his wrist for any injuries.

"Sawamura, you're going in the next inning," Yukari hears the head coach say.

"Yes, sir!"


	36. Chapter 36

**Ogawa from Seiko is my least favorite character in Daiya no Ace. That is all.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

At the bottom of seventh, Seiko already got their two outs and Kazuya is up at-bat. So far, Ogawa hasn't let Kazuya hit anything, and it's no different this time around. He walks Kazuya to first base yet again. Zono is up next and he hits Ogawa's pitch strongly to third, who throws it to first, outing Zono. Seiko manages to hold Seidou back from scoring again.

"Seidou High School has announced a change in players. Replacing the sixth batter, Furuya-kun, will be Sawamura-kun. Batting sixth and pitcher, Sawamura-kun."

Now that it's certain that Furuya isn't going to play again, Yukari takes him to the waiting room and leaves his cooling down to Yasushi so she can return to watch the game.

"I'll have balls flying left and right, so fielders, thank you in advance!" Yukari hears Sawamura's tagline as she returns to the dugout.

Sawamura easily strikes out the first batter. The second batter fouls his first pitch, but manages to hit his change-up at the last minute. It falls right between right and center. The third batter is Nagata. He swings powerfully at an out-low pitch but misses. Yukari can tell that the pressure is getting to Sawamura when he throws his change-up to the ground.

Sawamura pitches another outside fastball and Nagata powerfully hits it above the right field fence. With the two-run homer, the score is tied.

Yukari is a little bit worried about the mental damage that the home run might inflict on Sawamura. She knows just how strong the first year southpaw can be, but while it might not be as traumatizing as hitting a batter on the head in the finals, that home run _must_ hurt somehow. The fielders then gather in the mound, possibly to check how Sawamura is doing.

"K-Kawakami!" Oota chokes out. Yukari notices Kazuya peeking at Kataoka from over his shoulder from the mound and Kataoka nods back at him subtly.

The next batter enters the batter's box. _This is where we need to stop their momentum; otherwise, it'll be game over for us._

Yukari frowns when Sawamura's first pitch goes wide. His next pitch is jammed by the batter toward third base and Kanemaru misses it. The batter gets on first base.

Yukari takes a deep breath and closes her eyes when it doesn't reach her lungs. She exhales sharply and continues to try and stabilize her breathing. She's not succeeding; it only makes her dizzy. She ultimately gives up and refocuses on the match as she tries to hide her quickening breaths. She can't afford to distract anyone again.

As Sawamura pitches to the batter, Yukari realizes that the runner on first's lead has gotten bigger. She bites her lower lip as she watches Sawamura, who seems to be focused on the batter. Her eyes widen when he does a pick-off to Zono and retires the runner. She smirks. _He's doing just fine, isn't he?_

Sawamura then proceeds to strike the next batter out. Yukari sighs with a small smile. _Sawamura and Furuya are getting better and better with every game. It's honestly scary just how fast they progress._

When the players reach the dugout, Sawamura bows and apologizes for the tying run before Youichi kicks his butt, "I'll make up for my mistakes with my bat!" Sawamura says determinedly.

"Just pitch lower in the next inning. That should be enough redemption," Yukari says, "It's not like you can bat that well."

"Y-Yukihime-senpai…" Sawamura slumps to the ground.

"Yes, the home run pitch was a little high, but I was surprised by his attitude afterward," Yukari hears Kazuya say to Kataoka, "His last pitch… in terms of speed and movement, it was one of his best pitches."

Yukari nods with a small smile of approval. She'll hold back with her praises until at least the end of the tournament. The first batter of the bottom of eighth is Sawamura. Yukari smirks when he bunts the first pitch right down the first base line. _Was he aiming for that inside pitch?_

Sawamura runs to the first base alongside Ogawa who is chasing the bunt. He tosses the bunt with his glove right toward Nagata at first base, outing Sawamura. He reluctantly returns to the dugout.

"Toujou! Please avenge me!" Sawamura shouts.

Toujou manages to hit the second pitch right between first and second, but he doesn't make it in time to the base.

 _It seems like they're becoming more in sync as the game comes closer to the end…_ Yukari thinks. _They're all moving so well, despite being so big._

"Replacing the eighth batter, Kanemaru-kun, will be Higasa-kun. Batting eighth, Higasa-kun."

 _Well, he did show a quick decision making and adjustment skills during the intra-squad. Hopefully he can do the same here_ , Yukari thinks as Shouji takes his place in the batter's box.

"Higasa-senpai! Let's stay focused here!" Kanemaru shouts, "We're just getting started!"

Shouji swings and misses the first pitch. He hits a grounder off of the second one and Nagata catches it while Ogawa covers first base. Three outs and change.

"Their defense is good!" Oota complains.

Yukari takes a deep breath and exhales it harshly when it comes in short.

"The game's not over yet! Let's defend the inning and connect to our offense!" Kataoka shouts.

"YEAH!"

Ogawa is first up at-bat. He hits the first pitch right past Shouji and gets to first base. The next batter looks like he's about to bunt. The batter bunts the first pitch, but it bounces towards Sawamura. He dives for it and catches it in his glove. He lifts his glove with the ball in it.

"Out!"

Yukari glares at Sawamura, who feels her glare, and scratches his head sheepishly in apology, but then he salutes her. She takes it as a sign saying that he's fine. She rolls her eyes. _These idiots are good at making me do my job_ , Yukari thinks.

On the second pitch to the next batter, Ogawa steals to second base while the batter hits Sawamura's pitch right to third base. Shouji catches it and throws it to Zono as per Youichi's order. Two outs with runner on second.

"Masu-san! Take me home!" Ogawa shouts from the second base as Masu enters the batter's box. The outfielders all move in a little to prepare to throw back home. Masu fouls the first pitch, and the second pitch is a ball. Masu fouls the third, fourth, and fifth pitch. The sixth pitch is a ball. The seventh pitch is a change-up and Masu fouls it.

Finally, Masu hits the eighth pitch, which is a low and outside, between third and shortstop. Shouji, Youichi, and Takeru all chase after the ball while Ogawa runs for home.

"Asou, back home!" Zono shouts.

Yukari puts a hand over her heart, trying to ease its beating. Takeru catches the ball and throws it back to Kazuya. It bounces right by Ogawa's feet at third base and Kazuya catches it before he can reach the plate. Yukari sighs in relief, but then she frowns.

Ogawa isn't stopping.

Yukari's head snaps to look at Kazuya, whose eyes widen as he sees Ogawa approaching, but before he can dodge him, it's too late. Ogawa crashes violently into Kazuya and both of them fall to the ground, Kazuya's helmet and face guard falling off his head due to the impact. Yukari can clearly feel her heart beating harshly against her chest; the pounding resonates throughout her whole body. Her breath quickens and her vision starts to blur a little out of dizziness.

Yukari's whole body is shaking like a leaf as she watches Kazuya lifting his body up and raising his mitt with the ball in it. She doesn't even realize that she's already on her feet, with her hands gripping the railing of the dugout to keep her balanced. Her notebook and stationeries are abandoned on the floor of the dugout.

"Out!"

The fielders return to the dugout, showering Kazuya with praises. Yukari can see Youichi looking worried as he approaches Kazuya, but her boyfriend just grins at the shortstop.

"Are you okay?" Kataoka asks the second Kazuya reaches the dugout.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Oota asks.

"Everywhere," Kazuya answers with a pained grin.

"Kazuya…" Yukari calls out shakily. Kazuya turns to look at her and his grin is wiped off his face when he sees her shaking.

"Yuka-chan, are you okay?"

"That's my line, idiot!" Yukari almost shouts. She pants shakily. She hasn't felt this way since Chris injured his shoulder. She's slowly panicking as her breathing picks up.

"O-Oi, calm down. I'm okay. Don't panic," Kazuya says before pulling her into his arms, people watching be damned, "Calm down, Yukari."

Yukari puts her forehead against Kazuya's chest protector as she takes a deep breath in an attempt to stabilize her breathing, and exhales it in relief when she can feel her body's shaking subsiding. Tears build up in her eyes as though to replace the shaking. Kazuya relaxes a bit when he feels that she has stopped shaking.

"I'm fine. I swear I am."

Yukari takes a deep, shaky breath, wincing a little when her chest flares up in pain as she pulls away from Kazuya. She harshly wipes the tears out of her eyes in frustration. She glares at Kazuya with teary eyes, "I'll be the judge to that."

Kazuya sighs with a small, troubled smile. He pulls Yukari back into his arms and presses a kiss to her forehead, blatantly ignoring her as she struggles to get out of his hold. Eventually, she gives up and lets Kazuya hold him. He keeps telling her that he's fine like a chant, but with every word, she finds it harder to believe him.

xXx

Since Seidou fails to score at the bottom of ninth, with the score still tied, they go into extra innings.

Yukari is subtly watching Kazuya like a hawk. It's the second time he got hurt in one match, and to be completely honest, she doesn't trust Kazuya one bit when he said that he was fine. Ogawa is easily twenty kilograms heavier than Kazuya. Not to mention he tackled Kazuya intentionally, so he must've used his whole weight to overthrow him.

She's honestly surprised that the umpire still let him play. Yukari doesn't approve of that decision at all and she's not afraid to show it. Since the beginning of the bottom of ninth, she had been giving Ogawa death glares. If looks could kill, not even having nine lives would save Ogawa from death.

"Sawamura," Kataoka calls out before they enter the field, "Do everything you can to get the first batter out."

"With my life!"

"And Kawakami," Kataoka turns to Nori, "Even if there are no runners, you're pitching against their cleanup. Be prepared."

"Yes, sir!"

Sawamura turns around and looks to his feet. Kataoka approaches him and puts a hand on his shoulder, "From here on out, we have to go all out as a team."

Sawamura gulps and nods at the head coach.

"Batting in the bottom isn't an advantage! We have to defend first!"

"YES, SIR!"

"Play like this is the last inning!" Kataoka shouts. Before Kazuya can go too far, the head coach calls out to him. Kazuya turns to him, "It's up to you to call the game."

Kazuya smirks at him and nods before he goes to the plate.

Sawamura manages to corner the first batter at the top of tenth and with Haruichi's fine play, they get their first out. The next batter messes up his timing with Sawamura's change-up. He jams the next pitch to the left field, but Takeru manages to catch it for their second out.

Kataoka then steps out of the dugout, lifting a hand.

"Seidou High School has announced a change in players. Replacing Sawamura-kun as pitcher is Kawakami-kun. Batting sixth and pitcher, Kawakami-kun."

Nori jogs to the dugout and exchanges places with Sawamura. Yukari is glad Sawamura doesn't make a fuss. He returns to the dugout and the supporters cheer for him. Yukari then hands a shoulder pack over to the southpaw without taking her eyes off of the diamond.

The first batter is Nagata. Nori's first pitch is a slider to the outside and Nagata misses it. The second pitch is a ball. Nagata then fouls the third pitch. Nori pitches another ball for the fourth pitch. Nagata fouls the next pitch.

Yukari notices Kazuya moving closer to the batter. Nori winds up and Yukari smirks when Nagata can't even react to the slider to the inside. _True, we don't need the sinker during this kind of situation. In order to retire the batter, that slider was perfect in terms of control and break. It was a good call. I'm even jealous that he's Nori's catcher._

Seidou goes down three for three in the top of tenth, and it's time to change.

"Nice pitch, Nori," Yukari praises when he walks into the dugout.

"Thanks, Ichikawa," Nori says with a nod and a smile.

"Why do you praise Nori-senpai so easily, Yukihime-senpai?!" Sawamura asks.

"Because it wouldn't get into his head, unlike you two," Yukari says with a roll of her eyes. Furuya and Sawamura flinch and slump at her words.

The bottom of tenth starts with Seidou's cleanup batters. The first up is Haruichi.

"Kominato. He's been pitching a lot to the inside," Kazuya says as he unbuckles his chest protector, "You could go for it."

Yukari watches Kazuya's expression carefully as he lifts his chest protector over his head. She bites her lower lip when he grimaces and flinches minutely. _Kazuya, you…_

"Would you like some amino acids?" Sawamura offers Kazuya, "Nice, cold amino acids!"

Kazuya turns to Sawamura with a smirk, "How thoughtful."

"Chug it down! It's about time you played like a cleanup!" Sawamura says.

"By the way, have you cooled down?"

"Not yet!" Sawamura exclaims, almost proudly.

"What did you say?" Yukari asks lowly as she turns to glare at Sawamura. He flinches violently, almost spilling the amino acids within the paper cup in his hand, "Hurry up and cool down before the ice melts, idiot."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"You're sweating a lot," Furuya says from behind Sawamura. Yukari sighs in worry as she takes a fresh towel from her bag. Kazuya's hand pauses in the air before he takes a sip from his cup.

"…really? Sawamura, get me a towel," Kazuya says.

"Yes, sir!"

But before Sawamura can give him a towel, one is already thrown to the back of Kazuya's head courtesy of Yukari.

"Strike! Yukihime-senpai, nice pitch!" Sawamura says with a thumb up.

Yukari then approaches Kazuya before she forces him to turn to face her. She takes Kazuya's cup from his hand and puts it on the bench. She takes the towel off of his head and gently wipes the sweat off his face.

"Yuka-chan…?" Kazuya's eyes widen at his girlfriend's unusual public display of affection, but he doesn't complain. After she's done, she throws the towel toward the pile of laundry beside the door. Before Kazuya can go anywhere, she places one hand on his shoulder and the other on his cheek and forces him to meet her eyes.

"Oi, get a freaking room!" Kazuya and Yukari can hear Youichi yell from behind them, but they don't seem to pay attention to anyone but each other.

"Kazuya…" Yukari starts as they look deep into each other's eyes, "are you really okay?"

Kazuya looks straight into his girlfriend's eyes, and he grins mischievously. He steals a peck on her left cheek, which makes her blush.

"We'll talk later," Kazuya whispers as he pulls away. Yukari covers the blushing cheek he kissed earlier as she glares at him. He laughs as he takes a bat, "Well, I guess I am a little bit restless," he says as he steps out of the dugout, looking at Sawamura and Furuya from over his shoulder, "I feel bad for our pitchers that we haven't scored."

Before he can leave the dugout, she catches his arm. He turns to look at her, "Finish this fast, will you?" Yukari asks of him. She hopes that he understands the meaning underlying her words. They need to finish this quickly so she can check if he really is injured or not.

Kazuya sighs in resignation and nods at her before entering the on-deck circle. She watches him in worry as she retakes her seat.

The first two pitches Ogawa throws at Haruichi are outside pitches and Haruichi jams the only inside one. He gets retired before he reaches first base. The next up for bat is Kazuya. So far, the Ogawa-Masu battery has been walking him to the first base, and this time it could be the case again. But judging from the pattern they used against Haruichi, there is a chance they're changing that this inning.

The first pitch is a ball to the outside. The second pitch is a similar one within the strike zone. The third pitch is a screwball to the inside, and it's a ball. Kazuya doesn't react. Yukari watches Kazuya carefully from the dugout in worry. _Kazuya…_ she bites her lower lip as her chest flares up in pain.

The next pitch is a ball to the inside that, if Kazuya didn't react fast enough to dodge it, would've definitely hit him on his arm. _This battery might be threatening him with close balls, but they're avoiding him. Or, more likely, the catcher is_ , Yukari thinks.

The battery is taking their time deciding the next pitch. Eventually Masu moves closer to Kazuya. _Are they finally going to face him?_ Yukari wonders. Ogawa winds up and pitches. Kazuya steps in hard and smacks the ball over the right field fence.

A walk-off home run.

 _That bastard…_ Yukari thinks fondly with a small smile as she watches Kazuya running around the diamond with his fist in the air. She swears she has goosebumps. The players then run toward him in glee.

Both teams line up to end the match.


	37. Chapter 37

The Seidou players are cleaning up the dugout for the next match. Yukari makes sure that she doesn't leave anything behind. Zono wordlessly takes the ice box with him and Yukari sighs in relief.

"Thanks, Zono," Yukari says gratefully as she, Kazuya, Youichi, and Zono step into the waiting room.

Zono grins with a slight blush, "No problem!"

"What's this? Are you cheating on Miyuki right before his eyes, Yukari? That's cruel."

"Yukihime-senpai! Good afternoon!"

The four of them stop in their tracks when they see Shunpei, Todoroki, Mishima, and Akiba Kazuma.

Yukari rolls her eyes incredulously, "Don't be dumb. If thanking people classifies as cheating, no couple would survive. Besides, if I _am_ cheating on him, I'd be more subtle."

"Eh?! Yuka-chan?!" Kazuya looks panicked, "Shouldn't you say something about how you'll never leave me or something?!"

"There's no way I'd say something so embarrassing, idiot," Yukari says as she looks at Kazuya incredulously, "And good afternoon, Raichi," Yukari greets Raichi back with a small smile.

"When did you guys get so close?" Youichi asks incredulously, "I thought Kominato is the only kouhai you call with their first name?"

"I know, right? I'm jealous," Shunpei says with a pout, "I can't believe she called Raichi by name and with no honorific after only meeting him once. You've gotten soft, Yukari."

"Shut up, Shunpei. He's like your younger brother. Besides, he's kinda cute," Yukari says with a shrug. She then turns her head slightly to look at Youichi, "He came with Shunpei to visit me in the hospital. Along with Miss-shima," she explains with a smirk towards Mishima.

"Yukihime-senpai! Please don't call me that!" Mishima whines.

"Kahahahaha! Miss-shima! Yukihime-senpai called me cute!"

"Shut up, Raichi!"

"And the two of them picked up on Sawamura's nickname for you, huh…?" Zono says.

Yukari shrugs in resignation, "I figured I couldn't stop them, so why waste my breath."

"Anyways," Shunpei says before the two first years start a fight, "Congratulations on making it to the final."

"Kahahahaha! We can play again!" Raichi says, "We can have a rematch from summer!"

"You don't think you'll lose?" Youichi asks, "You're playing Ichidaisan next, you know?"

"We've on every game after that practice game against you guys, too," Shunpei says, "Thirty-three consecutive wins! Yay!"

"T-Thirty-three?!" Zono exclaims.

"Eh? Or was it thirty-four? Thirty-two?" Shunpei frowns in thought, but then he grins, "Oh, well. We'll win today. Besides, I promised Yukari we'll win the tournament."

Yukari smirks, "Challenge accepted. Just don't underestimate Takahiro-san's underclassmen too much, Shunpei."

Shunpei sighs, "Well, Takahiro-san was troublesome, all right, but at least he's retired. That's one less threat to think about," he says, "Well, you'll just have to watch us win, Yukari!"

"Oh, I'm not watching," Yukari says simply, "I have to an idiot to take to the hospital."

"Idiot…" Yukari hears Furuya mumble under his breath behind her. Apparently he and Sawamura entered the waiting room sometime during their conversation.

"Oh, you're here, Idiot #2? We're going to the hospital with Oota-buchou, so get ready," Yukari says nonchalantly.

Sawamura laughs loudly as he points at Furuya mockingly, "Idiot #2!" Furuya growls at his teasing.

"You don't have the right to tease him, Idiot #1," Kazuya says with a smirk. Sawamura flinches and slumps.

"Eeeh? You're not gonna watch? You're no fun, Yukari," Shunpei says with a pout.

Yukari grimaces, "Stop pouting. It's disgusting."

"Yukihime-senpai, so cold!" Raichi exclaims.

"AH! That's _my_ nickname for her!" Sawamura protests.

Yukari sighs harshly, "Shut up. Let's go before we get in Yakushi's way, you guys."

xXx

"Let's watch the game after you put your stuff in the bus!" Kazuya announces to the team as he and Yukari walk at the back of the pack.

"Yes, sir!"

"Furuya. You're going to the hospital with Oota-buchou," Kazuya practically commands the first year. Furuya then stops and Kazuya and Yukari follow suit.

"…aren't you coming, Miyuki-senpai?" Furuya asks. Yukari's eyes widen. _Could he also be suspicious that Kazuya is injured? He_ was _the first one to point out how much he was sweating…_ Yukari thinks. She watches from beside Kazuya to see his reaction.

"…why would I?" Kazuya asks with an innocent look on his face. Yukari lets out a breath of exasperation. _What a stubborn mule_ , Yukari thinks, "Do you need me to hold your hand?"

"N-No, that's not what I mean…"

"I'm gonna watch the game. Just go with Yuka-chan! But don't you dare ask Yuka-chan to hold your hand!"

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Shut up, Kazuya," she then catches Furuya's eyes, "Let's go, Furuya," _We need to talk_ , her look tells him. Furuya's eyes widen minutely, but then he composes himself and nods at her.

"…yes, Ichikawa-senpai."

"Kazuya. Tell Nabe I'm gonna need the video for this match later. Update me when something interesting happens," Yukari says as she walks with Furuya toward the exit. Kazuya nods at her and joins the others toward the stands.

When they exit the building, Oota and Rei are waiting for them, and he smiles when he sees Furuya walking with Yukari, "Ichikawa, Furuya, there you two are!" Oota exclaims.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Oota then flags down a cab and sits in the passenger seat beside the driver.

"Furuya-san, would you like to go along?" Rei asks an elderly man standing not far behind Furuya. Yukari noticed him following them since they exit the building and Furuya told her he was his grandfather.

"No, he's in your hands," Furuya's grandfather says.

"You're not coming," Furuya says more than asks.

"Satoru," Furuya's grandfather calls out to him, "Looks like you've finally found yourself a team."

Yukari smirks before Furuya enters the backseat of the cab, followed by her, and they go to the nearest clinic.

"He went to watch the summer tournament and a lot of the practice games, too," Oota tells Furuya.

"It's true; I've seen him during some of our practice games after the summer tournament," Yukari says, "I've never seen him before this year, so I thought he either only started to like Seidou or he has a relative in the first year. I didn't know he was your grandfather."

"He's been watching you all this time," Oota says. Furuya looks down to his lap, and Yukari swears she sees him smile.

It isn't a long car ride and in no time, they've reached the clinic. It's quite a big one, but thankfully there aren't a lot of patients. They don't have to wait for too long to get Furuya's ankle checked. Yukari asks to be present during the examination so she can get a better understanding of his injury and how to treat it.

After the doctor is done with Furuya, Yukari, Furuya, and Oota are sitting in the lobby as they wait for their turn to pay. Yukari and Furuya sit a little bit away from the team's advisor. Yukari takes a deep breath before she says in a low voice, "I think you know what I wanted to talk about, Furuya."

"Yes," Furuya answers, "I think Miyuki-senpai might be injured from that crash earlier."

"…I would be surprised if he's not," Yukari says with a sigh, "That crash was in no way minor. Not to mention Ogawa has a much bigger stature than Kazuya and he _meant_ to tackle him," she growls, still mad about the whole thing. _Why is it that when it comes to important moments, someone important gets hurt from external causes? First it was Tanba-san before the summer tournament and now Kazuya before the finals…_

"…what should we do, Ichikawa-senpai?" Furuya asks.

Yukari sighs in resignation, "There's no way Kazuya would voluntarily tell someone about this, especially because he's the captain and the cleanup batter. He knows that not having him in the field would affect the team's morale, moreso if you can't play," Yukari explains.

"B-But I…"

"Furuya," Yukari says firmly, "I understand how attached you are to the mound, but if you push yourself, it might be the end of your baseball career," Yukari says, "I know I sound mean most of the time, but I'm being mean for your sake."

"…yes, ma'am," Furuya says with a pout.

Yukari sighs in exasperation, "You're such a pain… we can recheck the injury tomorrow morning before the match. Depending on what the doctor says, Kantoku might let you play. Just be honest about the pain."

"Yes, ma'am," Furuya says, looking much happier.

"And about Kazuya… I'll try and find out what kind of injury he has, if he is injured at all. After that, I'll make a decision," Yukari says. She then ruffles Furuya's hair, "In the meantime, you keep this information to yourself, okay? Just focus on resting up and don't forget to sleep with your feet above your chest."

Furuya nods and Yukari pulls her hand away from his head as they continue to wait for Oota to be finished.

xXx

After they're done in the clinic, Oota flags down another cab to take them back to the dorm. They return before the team does and Yukari wonders how the Ichidaisan vs. Yakushi match went. Not long after they reached the dorms, she gets a text from Kazuya saying that they're going up against Yakushi in the finals. Yukari can't wait to watch the video.

To be honest, whichever one they face would be a hard fight. But at least the new team is more familiar with Yakushi's new team rather than Ichidaisan. It may not be significant, but it might help with their chance on winning.

Yukari waits for the team to return to the dorms by helping out with dinner prep. When Nabe enters the cafeteria, she's quick to excuse herself and ask Nabe all about the match earlier.

From what she learned, Ichidaisan's new ace, Amahisa Kousei, played really well against Yakushi, especially after a home run from Raichi. It looks like after he struck Raichi out, he got ahead of himself and underestimated Shunpei, who hit a 2-RBI double which gained Yakushi their winning lead.

"Shunpei really hasn't changed that much. He still swings at everything, expecting it to be a fastball. If Amahisa didn't throw the fastball at the end, Shunpei would definitely get struck out," Yukari says, "And he threw a two-seamer? Now, _that's_ interesting."

"It had a good speed and drop, so it's definitely effective. But we don't know if it's consistent since he only used it once in the match," Nabe explains.

"It's definitely a new pitch, so we might be able to use that against him," Yukari says, "We need to check his data on previous matches to see the record of this pitch."

"We don't have much time, so let's start," Nabe says as he plays the video of the earlier match. They then spend their time gathering data. Before they knew it, someone comes to the cafeteria to remind them of the post-match meeting. They wrap up their data gathering before they walk toward the indoor practice building. Nabe joins the other players while Yukari joins the managers.

"Right now, Ichikawa will explain about the doctor's decision on Furuya's injury," Kataoka announces, "Ichikawa."

Yukari nods at him before taking a step forward, turning to face the crowd of players, "The injury is lighter than before, but it's a fresh one in the same place, so if it gets worse, it could take a while to recover," she says. Before the players can make a fuss, she immediately adds, "Having said that, we are going to recheck the injury tomorrow morning before Kantoku makes a decision. That is all."

Yukari is very tempted to announce to the team about her suspicion about Kazuya being injured, but before she knows for sure, she doesn't want to unnecessarily worry anyone just yet.

"Thank you. Now, for tomorrow's starting pitcher, I want to ask you to do it, Kawakami," Kantoku announces, "You only faced the cleanup, Nagata, today, but I want to see more pitching like that for the final."

"Yes, sir!"

All of a sudden Sawamura starts clapping all on his own. Yukari rolls her eyes.

"However! I won't let it end like this! I'm a man who never gives up! I will be getting ready in the bullpen at tomorrow's match!"

"Shut up!"

"Stop talking to yourself out loud!"

"Boss! Does this work for you?!"

"…yeah," Kataoka reluctantly says.

"Yes, Boss!"

Yukari pinches the bridge of her nose. _So loud…_

"Watanabe. Ichikawa. You can start the briefing," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir," Nabe and Yukari walk toward the nearby whiteboard and they take their respective notebooks out.

"I think you already know after watching it from the stands. Todoroki and Sanada are two we have to really be careful of. Sanada relieved in the third inning today, so I doubt he'll be starting tomorrow. It's probably going to be Mishima or Akiba," Nabe says, "What do you think, Ichikawa?"

"It's highly unlikely that Shunpei might start. But then again, Yakushi is highly unpredictable. One of the reasons why Shunpei rarely starts is because he has low stamina. But if he could start relieving at third inning until the end, it's possible that he's been building up his stamina and endurance so he can play longer," Yukari shrugs, "With that in consideration, _anyone_ can start tomorrow."

"Like Ichikawa mentioned, Yakushi is known to do unexpected things, and anyone in Yakushi can start. Including Sanada and Todoroki Raichi," Nabe says.

"Huh?!"

"He pitched two innings in both their second game and the quarterfinal. He's a power pitcher who pitches fastballs," Nabe explains.

"I don't think it's that easy to be a pitcher!" Sawamura protests.

"Sawamura, let me finish," Nabe says, "He takes a big step and pitches from a low point, so his trajectory might feel unfamiliar. We can all take a look at the video later."

"But take his swing power into consideration. If he can swing that hard, he must've been doing some kind of training for a long time. With the way he swings, it's very likely that the balls he pitches will be heavy and fast, even though he has a small stature," Yukari says, "But since it's likely that he's only started pitching, he might have some control issues."

"A lot of batters popped flies off of him, so it's likely that the pitch doesn't slow down," Nabe continues.

"May I say something as a base coach?" Yukari's classmate, Mimura Ryouta, who is the third base coach, along with Kijima, the first base coach, walk to the front, "Yakushi's defense looked significantly better compared to the summer, but their team synergy wasn't exactly top notch. Depending on the situation, I'll be sending runners to the next base, so please keep that in mind when running."

"I want to comment on their fielding positions," Kijima says, "They may change their positions drastically, depending on the batter, so please double check their positions before your turn to bat."

"Is that all?" Oota asks.

"Yes, sir."

"Then, captain and vice-captains, wanna make a closing statement?" Oota suggests.

"Eh? Y-Yes, sir…" Zono says before he steps forward. Yukari, Nabe, Mimura, and Kijima step aside to let Zono, Youichi, and Kazuya take center stage. Zono is blushing as he avoids everyone's eyes by looking up to the roof, "Um… after the creation of the new team… um… it's been a long, but seemingly short, yet not exactly fast, and… um…"

"He's starting to not make sense," Yukari says.

"You can do it," Yui cheers from beside Yukari.

"This is painful to watch," Sachi says with a grin. Haruno chuckles wryly.

"Anyway! Let's do our best tomorrow!"

The three managers and Yukari chuckle at Zono's way to end his speech.

The next up is Youichi, "For a team that previously lost, the word 'revenge' means to defeat the opponent that previously defeated them."

"Wow! You sound like an honor student!" Sawamura comments.

Youichi narrows his eyes, "Kill anyone who gets in our way."

Yukari smirks evilly at Youichi's words.

"Yes, thank you for your honest words in the end!" Sawamura says as he claps.

"Come see me later, Sawamura."

"Now, Captain, if you please! Let's end it cleanly!" Oota says. Yukari swears he's the one who's enjoying this the most. Maybe he's more sadistic than Yukari thought.

Kazuya takes the center stage and sighs before he opens his mouth, "I don't know if I've been doing a good job as a captain, but in my inauguration speech, I said that results matter. Every game has been a trial, but with every win, I felt the team was getting stronger. I want to see what it's like to play at Koshien. The breadth, the sound, and the smell of the stadium… I want to go there and see for myself. I want to stand there."

Yukari smiles fondly at his words.

"Let's win and go to Koshien!"

"YEAH!"

xXx

After the meeting, everyone either takes a bath or goes to the cafeteria to start dinner. Yukari goes to the cafeteria and she finds some of the retired third years there. She enters the kitchen alongside the managers and find Takako there. Soon, the cafeteria is filled with the first and second year players.

Since the winter training camp is near, the second and third years start to talk about their experience. When Haruno asks her about it, Yukari only says, "Basically, it's hell for them and heaven for me," she chuckles evilly when Haruno and some of the first years who hear her shiver in fear.

"It doesn't matter if it's spring or summer. Win! You'd better win and go to Koshien!" Jun shouts.

"YES, SIR!"

"And I hope you all die in the winter camp!"

"That would be a sight," Yukari says with an eerily calm smile.

"Y-Yukari, your evil is showing," Takako says. She then chuckles, "That's a very Isashiki way of saying good luck."

"Yeah," Sachi agrees, "By the way, Asou was awesome today, wasn't he?! He's been involved in runs two games in a row, so he's on an upswing," Sachi says.

"It's great he's doing well," Takako says.

"It was overshadowed by Kazuya's body block, but his throw back home was really well done," Yukari agrees.

"By the way, is Miyuki alright?" Yui asks.

Yukari looks out to the dining area and finds Kazuya with Youichi and some of the retired players. She eyes him warily before turning to look at the managers, "He kept telling me that he is. I'm just going to trust him until I see it for myself."

The managers plus Yukari then continue to make rice balls for the team until they fill up four baking trays. Takako wipes the sweat off of her forehead as she looks at the rice balls, "I think this should be enough for everyone."

"I don't know…" Sachi says.

"We always think it's too much, but they always go through it quickly," Yui agrees.

"Not to mention Masuko-san is here…" Yukari nods, "By the way, is he gaining weight again? He's so round…"

"Everyone's been practicing overtime since the third years left," Haruno says.

"So I'm sure it'll be no different tonight," Yui says.

Takako chuckles, "I get it. Let's make some more, then!"

Yukari and the managers then make another batch of rice balls.

"Two consecutive finals… it's impressive," Takako says.

Yukari smiles, "I agree. It's a first for me too," she looks toward the dining area and smiles fondly when she sees the players interacting with the third years, "It was a shame that we couldn't go to Koshien together… but I'm glad that we have the third years' support."

Takako chuckles, "Yukari is really attached to our year, aren't you, Yukari?"

Yukari chuckles lightly, "Well, they're the most reliable team since I've joined. But now…" she smirks, "Our new team is giving them a run for their money," when she turns to look at the team again, Kazuya is in her line of sight, talking with Chris, "…we've been through a lot to get here. There's no way we'll stop."

The managers smile at Yukari.

"Yeah. Good luck, you guys," Takako says.

"Thank you, Takako-san," Yukari says.

"We need to do our best in cheering for them too!" Yui says.

"Yeah!" Sachi and Haruno exclaim.


	38. Chapter 38

**I have no excuse. I simply forgot that it's Saturday, which meant that I have to post another chapter. I am so sorry!**

 **I will post the next chapter later today! I still have to edit some of it, but it will be up today!**

 **Things get a little bit... steamy in here, but nothing alarming, I promise. I can't write smut - or even a decent kissing scene - to save my life, anyway...**

 **Before I start, I would like to thank SnowLili for the very, very nice review! I am so flattered that you read my OC fic, even though you mentioned that you usually can't read one. Thank you so much! And to think you reviewed just because you think I didn't get the recognition I deserved... I'm humbled.**

 **I actually hate asking for reviews, so I don't and won't do it. That doesn't mean getting reviews doesn't make me happy, though! I am simply happy to see someone commenting with a simple 'more please!' because that means they like what I've written so far and are interested in what's coming. Just those two words make me so happy as an author, and they fuel my desire to write. Hell, just looking at the reader count makes me excited.**

 **I've said this on the first chapter, but I never really intended to post this fic. I wrote it just to indulge myself. But to think people are enjoying this fic as much as I do... Thank you guys so much. You guys rock, seriously.**

* * *

After the third years are gone, some of the first string players stay in the dining area to talk about the strategy for tomorrow, including Yukari.

"Using fastballs well against Sanada and throwing a sinker at the right time against Todoroki will be important, Ono," Kazuya says.

"Eh? Yeah…" Ono says, looking slightly taken aback after being suddenly called out.

"Nori's in really good shape, so I think he can take them on," Kazuya continues. He then turns to the two first year pitchers, "Make sure you guys know their batters' tendencies. Don't rely on me all the time."

 _I knew it…_ Yukari thinks as she bites her lower lip. From what Kazuya is telling the others, Yukari is certain that Kazuya _is_ injured. He's seems to be preparing the team to fight without him tomorrow. _That means he also knows the severity of his injury…_

"Of course I do!" Sawamura growls.

Yukari sighs, "If you have questions, you can either watch the video or ask me or Nabe," she says before looking at the clock, "It's getting late. We should end this soon, Kazuya."

"You're right," Kazuya says, "That's all."

Everyone disperses and Yukari follows Kazuya. Now that she's certain about his condition, she's ready to confront him about it. But she knows he doesn't want anyone to make a fuss out of it, so she has to do it when they're alone. But of course, Sawamura is following Kazuya like a lost puppy.

"Look over the data before you go to sleep and again in the morning. Since I know you'll forget it overnight," Kazuya reminds the first year pitchers.

"No, I won't!"

"Well, shall we go?" Kazuya offers, "You wanted to pitch a two-seamer, right? Don't tell me you forgot. Chris-senpai, could you stay and watch as well? You too, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says.

"Sure," Chris says.

"M-Master!"

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Of course, after seeing Shunpei pitch the two-seamer, you'd want to pitch one too. You're like a housewife who gets easily influenced by commercials, Sawamura."

"I-Is it bad?!"

Yukari sighs, "Just don't overdo it. You _might_ have to play in the finals tomorrow."

"Might?!"

"I wanna watch it from the side. Can you catch for him, Ono?" Kazuya asks.

"Sure."

They then move to the indoor practice building, in which a lot of the players and some of the third years are already practicing. Sawamura keeps trying to get Kazuya to praise his pitch so he can show off to Chris on the way there.

"Yo, Sawamura! You gonna pitch now?" Jun asks.

"Oni Gire-senpai!"

"Don't work yourself too hard," Tetsu says.

"Young Master!"

"Anything you learn overnight won't get you far," Ryousuke says.

"Ani-san!"

"I was waiting for you, Sawamura-chan."

"Who are you?"

Yukari sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Masuko-san, have you gained weight again? I thought you said you'd ease up on the pudding…"

"Uga!" Masuko sobs.

Sawamura laughs, "It feels so nostalgic to practice with you guys! Thank you for gathering here for me!"

"We're not here for you!"

Yukari shakes her head incredulously as Sawamura laughs.

"Are you going to start pitching now?"

Yukari turns to look at the entrance of the building and sees Kataoka, Ochiai, and Rei.

"Yes, sir! I want to do everything I can before–" Sawamura gasps violently when he realizes who he's talking to, "Big Boss!"

"Who are you calling Big Boss?" Kataoka asks, looking annoyed.

"Another new nickname?" Yukari wonders as she notices Rei shaking slightly in laughter.

The three staff members enter the building as Sawamura and Hiroshi get ready. They play catch until Sawamura's shoulder is warmed up. Yukari stays beside Kazuya, keeping a sharp yet subtle eye on him.

"I'm gonna sit down now," Hiroshi announces as he throws back to Sawamura.

"Don't overexert your shoulder," Kataoka says.

"Yes, sir!"

"Well, let's start with the fastball," Kazuya calls. Sawamura nods and pitches. Yukari is quick to draw the trajectory of his pitch. It breaks at the plate.

"Hmm. Nice moving fastball."

"A dirty fastball."

"I'm surprised you can pitch well with a palm grip, Sawamura-chan."

"Eeeh?!"

 _There's a lot of spectators, so there will be a lot of comments coming…_ Yukari thinks with a smirk. _I hope you're ready, Sawamura. They won't hold back, after all._

"Wanna throw a cutter next?" Kazuya offers.

"Yes, sir!"

Sawamura winds up and Yukari starts to draw. He throws the ball and Hiroshi catches it above his head.

"You hit the batter."

"Uga!"

"Dead ball."

"That was with bases loaded, too."

Sawamura flinches with every criticism. Yukari smirks as she shakes her head.

"You're framing the pitch too much," Chris advises Hiroshi, "Framing is important, but if you go overboard, the umpire won't like you."

"Yes, sir!"

"Wanna throw a change-up next?" Kazuya offers.

"It's really difficult when the bleacher is so loud!" Sawamura whines.

"Chris! Why don't you be a batter?" Jun offers, "Let's see how close he can pitch!"

"No, thanks. I don't wanna get hurt," Chris rejects softly, "I don't want Ichikawa to get mad at me."

"Wise call," Yukari says with an approving nod.

"Master! Yukihime-senpai!" Sawamura sobs. He then winds up with a pout and pitches his change-up.

"Ooh! So that's the change-up! Sawamura, who said you could get this good, damn it?!" Jun says.

"It's still high," Chris says.

"No, no, praise me more!" Sawamura says.

"Don't get cocky!" Jun growls, "You're gonna mess up! What's the next pitch? Surprise me more!" he asks, ignoring Zono who is practically begging for pointers on his batting. Furuya is taking a step forward with his aura full on, and Yukari has to hold him back before he tries to do something stupid.

Sawamura then tries to throw a two-seamer, "How was that?!"

"Well… it moved," Tetsu says.

"Did it?"

"What?" Sawamura gapes.

 _More like it just moved like usual_ , Yukari thinks as she looks at the trajectory she drew.

"Try taking it off the stitches," Kazuya suggests.

"Like this?" Sawamura says as he moves his fingers on the baseball. He tries pitching with the new grip, "How was it?"

"It dropped."

"Yeah."

"I think it was a ball."

"Give me good reactions!"

"If I can catch it easily, it's no good," Hiroshi says. Sawamura flinches.

"Don't beat yourself down so much, Ono," Chris says.

Sawamura frowns as he eyes the baseball.

 _It's usable, but it's nothing new. It doesn't have the wow factor that will take the batters by surprise,_ Yukari thinks as she checks her sketches. _But the fact that it's usable is already a feat._

"Let's call it a night soon," Kataoka says, "Close it out with a straight fastball."

"That's true," Kazuya agrees, "I was just thinking the same thing."

"Eh?! We're done already?" Sawamura asks.

"You're seriously trying to make me work harder, aren't you?" Yukari asks with an annoyed frown, "I swear I didn't have to worry so much before you problematic first years entered the team," not only Sawamura, but all first years in the indoor practice building flinch at her words.

"Then, Miyuki, you wanna catch the last one?" Hiroshi offers.

"Okay. I can do that," Kazuya says. Yukari flinches minutely at his words as she reflexively grabs onto a small part of Kazuya's sleeve. He stops in his tracks and turns to look at Yukari with wide eyes, "…Yuka-chan…"

"S-Sorry. Reflex," Yukari says without letting go of his sleeve. They catch each other's eyes and Yukari sees a sliver of realization in his eyes. He knows that she knows.

"Get a room, damn it!" Jun shouts.

Yukari bites her lower lip before she reluctantly lets him go. She then turns to Jun with a mocking smirk, "Don't be jealous, Jun-san."

"WHO THE HELL'S JEALOUS?!"

Kazuya laughs as he approaches the catcher's spot, "Listen now! Throw it straight! A clean fastball with a good spin," he orders.

"S-Spin…?"

"I've said this a lot, but using breaking balls well requires a good fastball. It's about pitching fastballs to the corners. Throw the best straight fastball you can pitch right now," Kataoka says with an expectant smirk at Sawamura.

Yukari is watching Kazuya from the corner of her eye as she waits for Sawamura to wind up. She wants to see his reaction when he catches with whatever injury he has right now. When Sawamura winds up, she reluctantly lets her eyes off of her boyfriend as she gets ready to draw the trajectory of his pitch. When Sawamura manages to pitch straight, Yukari's eyes widen slightly.

 _Isn't he supposed to be bad at it…?_ Yukari wonders. _His arm swing is smooth and he lets the ball go late. He managed to put on a lot of spin to maintain the speed of the pitch, so it seems faster. So basically, the opposite of change-up_ , she thinks with a wry smile. _His progress is scary, good grief…_

"Was that faster…?"

"That was fast."

Sawamura is gaping as he looks at his left hand, "M-Miyuki-senpai! One more right now! It felt like I could relay a lot of power to the pitch! I'll forget! I'll forget!"

"Calm down!" Kazuya scolds him.

"Ten more," Kataoka says, "That's okay, right, Ichikawa?"

Yukari takes a deep breath as she turns to look at Kataoka, then at Kazuya, and then at Sawamura. She sighs in resignation, "Yes, sir."

"Come again, please?!"

"Ten more," Kataoka says firmly.

"Hurry up and throw. Or do you want me to reduce it to five?" Yukari threatens.

"I-I'll throw, I'll throw. Here we go, Miyuki-senpai!"

Yukari sighs in resignation as she waits for the session to end.

xXx

After the head coach dismisses everyone, Yukari follows Kazuya silently until she's sure they are alone. Before he could go too far, she wraps her arms around his torso carefully. Kazuya laces the fingers of his left hand with her right.

"You're being really cute today, Yuka-chan. What's wrong?" Kazuya asks, feigning innocence. Yukari doesn't answer him. She presses her forehead against his broad back, inhaling his scent as her free hand prods his body. She pulls her head from his back when he flinches as she presses a hand on his right side.

"…right here, huh?" Yukari asks.

Kazuya sighs, "…I knew you'd find out. As expected from my girlfriend. I can never hide anything from you."

"I don't have to be your girlfriend to notice; I just need to have eyes," Yukari says as she pulls his arm to make him face her, "Ogawa was much bigger than you and he tackled you _intentionally_ ," she growls, "Even Furuya is suspicious."

"I noticed," Kazuya nods, "When he asked me if I wasn't coming with you guys to the hospital, I kinda figured that out," Kazuya admits.

"And yet you still refuse to go with us… are you a masochist or something?" Yukari sighs exasperatedly, "When does it hurt?"

"It hurt when I throw the ball, but worse when I bat."

"You looked fine when you were catching for Sawamura, but did it hurt at all?"

"Not really, no."

"How about when you run?"

"It didn't hurt when I ran last time, but I guess if I run too fast, it'll hurt."

Yukari nods in approval when she detects no trace of deceit in his voice. He even manages to keep eye contact with her as he answered her questions.

"I need to check it," Yukari says.

Kazuya sighs, "My room okay? It's farther from Kantoku's room compared to yours."

"Sure. I need to take some stuff from my room. I'll go to yours later," Yukari says, "No funny business, Kazuya. And _don't_ run away."

Kazuya chuckles, "I won't, I promise."

Yukari nods and they part ways when they reach the second floor landing. Yukari takes a bag that is filled with medical supplies and an ice pack from the freezer in her room before she goes to Kazuya's room. She knocks on the door and he's quick to answer it. They check their surroundings before she enters his room.

Kazuya sits on his bed and Yukari sits on the floor in front of him. She sighs before she asks, "I'm gonna leave this here," she says as she pulls out a strip of ibuprofen on the table in Kazuya's room, "If the pain becomes unbearable, take one."

"Okay," Kazuya nods.

"Can you lift your right arm? Slowly," Yukari requests. Kazuya raises his right arm slowly, "Does it hurt?"

"No," Kazuya says.

"Now turn to your side," Yukari tells him. Kazuya complies and he winces painfully before he can fully turn, "That's enough," Yukari says. He sighs in relief when he repositions himself, "So twisting your body hurts…" she says. She continues to inspect his injury.

"So what's the verdict, Sensei?" Kazuya asks.

"I'm not a doctor," Yukari automatically says, "I need to see the injury. Take off your clothes," Yukari says. For once, Kazuya doesn't make a suggestive remark out of her words and complies obediently. He slowly tries to take his hoodie off, but he hisses in pain and stops midway because of the pain. Yukari slowly helps Kazuya undress.

Yukari frowns deeply when she sees a clear, purpling bruise on her boyfriend's side. She runs a hand softly on the bruise, but pulls away when Kazuya flinches.

"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Kazuya laughs, "No, it just tickles."

Yukari scoffs and shakes her head with a small smile. She continues to prod the bruise and says, "Nothing seems to be broken… but I think you might've pulled your muscle. The worst case scenario would be a muscle tear, but we need to go to the hospital to be sure of that. But for now let's just ice it," she says before she pulls out an ice pack and wraps it in a clean dish towel. She then presses the wrapped pack gently against the bruise and tells Kazuya to keep it there.

Kazuya nods and replaces her hand with his as she rummages her bag for some elastic bandages and a pair of scissors. After twenty minutes, she takes the cold pack off of his bruise and sits beside him on the bed to apply the bandage around his torso, "Tell me if it's too tight," Yukari says. When she's done, she says, "Okay. Put your clothes back on before you catch a cold. I'm not taking care of you if you do."

Kazuya struggles to redress himself but grins at her when he manages to do it himself, "It doesn't hurt as much now, Yuka-chan. Thanks."

"Yeah, sure," Yukari says before she sighs, "…can I be honest?"

"Of course," Kazuya says.

"I… really don't want you to play tomorrow," Yukari admits, "I know how much you want to play. I also know how much it would affect the team's morale if you don't play. But the risk of playing with an injury is high. I'm worried about how it will affect your performance tomorrow and in the long run. Whatever your injury is, it would be better if you just rest."

"…you know I can't do that," Kazuya says.

"I know. And I know that no matter what I say or do, you'll insist on playing anyway. And it's seriously frustrating," Yukari says with an exasperated sigh, "So I want you to promise me something."

"Name it."

"If I'm letting you in that diamond, I won't forgive you if you half-ass it. So do your best and win. But if you can't take it anymore… I want you to stop whatever you're doing and tell me. Also, if I feel that you're holding the team back because of your performance, I reserve the right to tell Kantoku about this. Deal?" Yukari asks.

Kazuya nods, "Deal."

Yukari sighs, "What is wrong with our team…? During the summer, Ryou-nii injured his shin and didn't tell anyone until his performance had gotten worse… Tanba-san had a leg cramp… and now Furuya injured his ankle and you could have pulled a muscle. This is the worst."

"…I'm sorry."

Yukari frowns, "Don't apologize; it's creepy."

"That's mean," Kazuya pouts. But then he smiles wryly at her, "No, I mean it. I really am sorry."

"…don't apologize for something that isn't your fault," Yukari says.

"It's not just because I got injured, but also because I kept it from you," Kazuya says, "When I saw your reaction back in the dugout, I couldn't. You were panicking so badly and I could even feel your heart beating like crazy against my chest, and I was still wearing the chest protector. I don't want you to stress your heart too much."

"I told you not to treat me like I'm made of glass," Yukari says, "I've been feeling fine so you don't have to worry about me. Worry about yourself. Be selfish for once. The guys will definitely understand."

"I can't do that…" Kazuya says, "Not when I've finally gotten their approval as their captain. I can't show them any weakness."

Yukari sighs sadly. She knows how much he struggled with his new title, and she doesn't have the heart to tell him to stop. She bites her lower lip, "I understand. Just please… don't push yourself."

Kazuya nods as he bumps his forehead against her temple, "Got it."

Yukari sighs in resignation. Kazuya then turns her head toward his and presses his lips against hers. She runs her fingers through his soft, brown locks as his tongue enters her mouth. He wraps his left arm around her waist as their tongues play with each other, with Kazuya easily taking over. Not long after, the two of them pull away at the same time, panting harshly.

"I thought you said no funny business?" Yukari asks, panting slightly. She tries to pull away but his hand around her torso stops her. She sighs in resignation as she puts her hands on his shoulders.

"If not for this injury, I might've done something we might regret," Kazuya admits playfully as he takes his glasses off. Yukari's face turn as red as her hair, both because of what Kazuya said and because it's the first time she has ever seen him without his glasses, "I love it when you blush," he whispers as he kisses her red cheek, "Does it excite you to see me without glasses? It's the first time, right?"

"Shut up… why do you even take it off, anyway?" Yukari asks breathily.

"I can see you clearly even without them when we're this close," Kazuya says, "Besides, it's in the way when I want to do this," Kazuya then continues to kiss down her face until he arrives at her jaw. Yukari jumps slightly when he nips it.

"S-Stop… you'll leave a mark…"

"What if that's my intention?" Kazuya asks in a low whisper as he kisses the spot below her ear. Yukari shudders, her arms unconsciously moving to wrap around his neck again instead of pushing him away. He snickers before pulling away, "Just kidding. Who would've thought that the renowned _Seidou no Yukihime_ melts when the right buttons are pressed?" Kazuya teases as he puts his right hand against her left cheek and his forehead against hers.

"If you're not injured now, you'd be dead by now, Miyuki Kazuya," Yukari growls.

"Ooh, full name?" Kazuya softly laughs, "But then again, I don't want anyone else to know how you look when you're embarrassed," he says, "Don't show that face to anyone else," he says possessively before he claims her lips once again. Yukari puts her left hand above the hand Kazuya has against her cheek as she closes her eyes and welcomes the kiss.

Not too long after – which feels extremely long for the two of them –, Yukari pulls away panting. Her eyes are still closed when she leans her forehead against Kazuya's, "We need to get some rest."

"I know."

Yukari bites her lower lip and pecks his lips one last time before pulling away completely, "It may be too late to say this, but you can't have warm bath until at least two days from now, okay?"

"Um… I took a warm bath after we got back from the stadium…" Kazuya admits sheepishly.

Yukari sighs exasperatedly, "See, this is why you should've told me earlier," she sighs again, "Well, we can't help that. You didn't know. But you can't have warm bath tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, yes…"

"Good. Don't stay up. Come to my room before breakfast so we can ice and bandage your bruise again," Yukari instructs him as she shoulders her bag and stands up. Kazuya nods and walks with her until she's out of his door.

"Good night, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says as he pecks Yukari's forehead.

"Good night, Kazuya."


	39. Chapter 39

**I noticed that I've gotten more reviews after I said how much I enjoyed getting reviews, and I'm seriously grateful! You guys are awesome, I swear I don't deserve you guys.**

 **I don't think I will be able to post next week, because I have to go out of town and I'm not sure if I will be bringing my laptop with me. So the next chapters will be posted on the 18th. I'm sorry! : (**

 **In the meantime, enjoy the first part of the Fall Tournament final!**

* * *

The next morning, not long after she finishes her morning jog, Yukari catches Kataoka with Rei and Furuya at the dorm gate. Rei explains that they are going to the doctor to recheck Furuya's ankle. Yukari apologizes to her for not being able to come with them. She will have to wait until they return to know how long Furuya can play – if at all. She wishes Furuya good luck and returns to her room.

After she's done getting dressed, a knock comes from her door. She opens it to a sheepishly smiling Kazuya.

"Sawamura wants me to catch some of his pitches. I told him to wait," Kazuya says. Yukari sighs exasperatedly.

"That brat… it's because of last night, wasn't it?" Yukari asks rhetorically as she lets him into her room. She motions for him to sit on her bed while she grabs the ice pack and wraps it with a clean towel.

"Hey, I promised I'd tell you when I can't handle it anymore. I intend on keeping it," Kazuya says as he slowly takes off his t-shirt.

"Well, good," Yukari says as she unravels the bandages and presses the cold pack against the injury, "Keep it there."

"Yuka-chan…" he waits until his girlfriend looks up at him, "…are you mad, by any chance?"

"Mad? …not really, no," Yukari says honestly as she prepares a new set of bandages. She then looks back to Kazuya's injury, "More like frustrated. I'm still torn between putting your future or the team's future on the line. I feel like any decision I take will be the wrong one. I hate being so indecisive, especially before an important game."

"…sorry."

"Like I said, don't apologize. It's creepy. And it's not your fault," Yukari says. The room is then washed in slightly awkward silence. Yukari notices Kazuya looking around her room.

"So this is what your room looks like…" Kazuya says.

"Is it everything you imagined it to be?" Yukari asks.

"I kinda imagined the walls to be filled with sketches or something," Kazuya says, "If there's anything you love other than baseball, it's drawing. And me," he says with a grin. Yukari scoffs with a shake of her head, but doesn't refute his statement.

"My drawings are staying in the sketchbook," Yukari says.

"Well, considering how private you are, that's not surprising," Kazuya says, nodding.

Twenty minutes later, she takes the ice off of his bruise and reapplies the bandage. She tells him that she will have to ice it again every hour. After she's done, she pats his chest lightly and stands up. She puts away her medical supplies as he puts his clothes back on. They then leave her room together and part ways at the first floor landing.

When she helps with breakfast preparation, Yukari is a little bit more absentminded than usual. When the cafeteria auntie notices this, she tells her to stop.

"I'm sure you're worried about them because it's the finals," Auntie says, "Go on and eat with them. We can take it from here."

"…well, if you say so… I'm sorry, oba-san," Yukari says.

"Please!" Auntie says with a wave of her hand, "Don't worry about it and eat! You need to be healthy to support them!"

Yukari nods with a small smile. After she's finished with her breakfast, she goes to the head coach's room to ask about Furuya's condition. The head coach and Rei explain that while his ankle has gotten better and doesn't swell, thanks to Yasushi's taping skills, the doctor is giving Furuya one inning at most to pitch. Yukari nods in understanding.

After she's done, Yukari leaves the room and basically shadows Kazuya. Every hour before they have to go to the stadium, she makes sure to ice his injury for twenty minutes and reapply bandage on it. It was hard to take him away from the other players without attracting too much attention, but somehow they manage.

When they reach the stadium, after Seidou is done with their fielding practice, Yukari signals Kazuya with her eyes to meet her in the deserted waiting room. They only have another thirty minutes before the match starts, so Yukari wants to ice and reapply bandage on his injury one last time.

"Sawamura, do you need to go to the restroom? I'll accompany you," Kazuya says at the door of the waiting room.

"I can go alone!" Yukari hears Sawamura reply.

"Oh, really?" Kazuya asks with a smirk.

"Who are you, my mom?!"

Kazuya laughs as he walks towards where Yukari is sitting in the corner of the waiting room. He silently takes his uniform and undershirt off. Yukari, who already has a wrapped ice pack in her hand, gently puts it against his bruise.

"It doesn't look so bad now," Yukari says as she hands him a towel, "You moved pretty normally during fielding practice. Did it hurt at all?"

"It hurt; still does," Kazuya admits as he takes his glasses off to wipe the sweat out of his face. Yukari appreciates his honesty, "But not as much as it was before. It must be because of your first aid treatment, Yuka-chan," he says with a grin.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Just please don't be rash. I don't want you to make it worse."

"Got it," Kazuya says as he replaces his glasses.

"I have to say, I'm impressed," Yukari flinches slightly at the sudden voice, while Kazuya calmly looks at the source of it, "Is it because you're the captain? Or is it your ego as a player? If you're gonna be stubborn about it, you'd better not budge until the end… break down when we win!"

"…he's right," Yukari says, "Now that we know that Youichi-kun also knows, I want you to tell either of us if you can't handle it anymore," she then turns to look at Youichi, "That's okay, right, Youichi-kun?"

"…yeah," Youichi says, "I'm surprised you let him play, Ichikawa. I thought you'd be the first one to tell Kantoku."

"Wouldn't you know by now that nothing we say will make him change his mind?" Yukari asks rhetorically. Youichi sighs exasperatedly, but Yukari knows he agrees, "…but I know he keeps his words," she then turns her attention toward Kazuya, "Just do your best and don't make me regret letting you into that diamond. If you want to play, play with everything you have."

Kazuya is silent before he finally nods. Yukari sighs as they wait until the twenty minutes is up, with Youichi keeping watch to keep people away from the waiting room without being suspicious. After she's done applying bandage to his injury, they return to the dugout one by one so they won't get unnecessary attention.

xXx

The final match of the fall tournament has started. Seidou has changed their lineup and now Toujou is batting second and Kenjirou is moved down to compensate for Furuya's absence. Yakushi's starting pitcher is Mishima and Akiba is catching for him. On the top of first, Seidou is first up on offense.

Seidou's lead-off man, Youichi, is up for bat, and he's batting from the left. He fouls the first pitch. The second pitch is a strike. He fouls the third pitch and lets the fourth pitch, which is a ball, go. He continues to tenaciously foul Mishima's pitches. Eventually the count reaches 3-2. He finally hits the next pitch to the right field and reaches first base safely.

During Toujou's at-bat, Youichi takes a big lead, distracting Mishima who keeps trying to retire him. When Mishima winds up, he steals and dives for second base before Akiba can throw the ball to second base. Yukari smirks. _As expected from our resident demon legs. A single from him is basically a double. As long as he's on the base, he's unstoppable._

Toujou sacrifice bunts and now it's one out with runner on third. Haruichi enters the batter's box. The battery walks him to first base with four balls in a row.

Next up is Kazuya, and Yukari is keeping a close eye on him. The first pitch is a strike to the out-low corner. The second pitch is a forkball out of the strike zone. He hits the next one, which is a low forkball, toward the pitcher. Mishima stops the ball with his glove until it falls off his hand. He throws it to second base, outing Haruichi, and then to first, outing Kazuya. Three out and change.

 _That was pure luck. Don't look so arrogant when you're the most surprised one, Miss-shima_ , Yukari thinks as she watches Mishima looking proud of himself.

"Can't help that! Let's switch gears!" Youichi says.

"Sorry, Nori," Kazuya says.

"That was out of your control," Nori says.

"Focus on the first batter, Kawakami," Kataoka says, "Go show them what you can do."

Nori looks a little bit worried, but Yukari can see his determination. He leaves for the mound followed by everyone's encouragement, including from Sawamura and Furuya. Yakushi's lead-off man is Akiba. Nori's first pitch is an inside pitch and it's a strike.

 _Now would be a good time to throw the sinker_ , Yukari thinks. _It's about catching them off guard with a pitch they don't know. If this works, they will keep the sinker in mind. It will be easier to control them._

Yukari prepares to draw Nori's form and the trajectory of his pitch as he winds up. Akiba swings and jams the dropped pitch. Youichi chases after it and throws the ball to Zono for their first out. Nori strikes the next batter out easily. The third batter, Mishima, gets jammed but hits into center field and gets into first base.

Yakushi's crowd goes wild as Raichi enters the batter's box. Nori's first pitch is a sinker to the outside corner but it's a ball. The next one is another ball to the outside. The next pitch is to the inside and Raichi fouls it. The next pitch is a slider to Raichi's knee, the same one that Amahisa threw to strike him out, but this time Raichi manages to hit it past second base.

Kenjirou manages to catch the ball and throws it to first, but both Mishima and Raichi reach their next respective bases. _Thank God for Kenjirou-kun_ , Yukari thinks as she sighs in relief. The next batter is Shunpei. Yukari hopes that there won't be a repeat of what happened between Kazuya and Shunpei in their first match.

 _Shunpei mostly only hits fastballs, so we need to be careful in pitching it. In some ways, Shunpei can be much more dangerous than Raichi after all,_ Yukari thinks. Nori winds up and Yukari clearly sees the ball breaking. Her eyes widen when Shunpei swings and hits it long to the right field. _Shunpei hit a breaking ball?!_

Yukari watches as Kenjirou chases after the ball and slides to catch it. She exhales harshly in relief when the ball lands cleanly on his glove. The fielders then run back to the dugout to prepare for offense. _That was a big play_.

xXx

At the top of second, the first batter from Seidou is Zono. The first pitch is a strike to the outside, and Zono swings hard at the second one. It doesn't go that far into the left field, but he manages to get to first base. Yukari rolls her eyes when he roars. _It didn't even go that far. Why are you celebrating like you just hit a walk-off home run?_

The next batter is Kenjirou and he positions his bat to bunt. Raichi runs closer to the plate as Mishima winds up. Kenjirou then repositions his bat and hits the pitch hard as Zono runs. Zono reaches third base as Kenjirou lands safely at first. _It feels very reassuring to have someone as reliable and consistent as Kenjirou-kun_ , Yukari thinks with a smirk.

The next batter is Shouji. He fouls the first pitch over the third base line. He smacks the second pitch to the left field. Zono reaches home plate before the ball for Seidou's first run. Eventually Yakushi gets their three outs and it's time to change.

Nori is doing well as he manages three strikeouts in a row. Before they knew it, the second inning is over.

At the top of third, Seidou is back to the top of their lineup. Youichi hits the first pitch over and behind the shortstop. Toujou is next at-bat while Youichi pressures Mishima by taking a big lead. Yukari smirks in amusement as she watches Mishima trying his hardest to retire Youichi.

Youichi steals second base as Mishima winds up. Toujou smacks the first pitch to center field and lands safely at first. Mimura signals for Youichi to run home. Yukari smiles in excitement as she sees Youichi accelerating. He reaches home plate faster than the ball for Seidou's second run.

"Hyahahaha! Mimura and I were looking for that play!" Yukari hears Youichi say loudly after high-fiving Haruichi, who is batting next, "We got them good!"

"Nice cheetah run," Haruichi says.

"I bet they're still shocked. Go finish them before they figure out what happened, Haruichi! Let's go!"

Yukari's eyes widen before she smirks. _He called him Haruichi. Did he realize that?_ She wonders as she smirks at Youichi as he approaches the dugout, "Nice run, demon legs. Good job in keeping an eye on Ryouta-kun's signs," Youichi grins at her. _That was also a fine play from Ryouta-kun. He saw the center field and second baseman's movements and made the right decision._

Haruichi enters the batter's box. He smacks the first pitch, which is a forkball, toward left and center for a double.

Yukari notices movement from Yakushi's dugout and narrows her eyes. _Are they switching pitchers? Who's it going to be?_ She wonders.

"Top of the third. Yakushi High School has announced a change in positions. Third baseman, Todoroki-kun, will now play pitcher. Pitcher, Mishima-kun, will now play third baseman. Batting third and third baseman, Mishima-kun. Batting fourth and pitcher, Todoroki-kun. Those are the new positions."

 _Raichi, huh…_ Yukari sighs as Kazuya enters the batter's box. She prepares a new page in her notebook to draw Raichi's form and pitch trajectory. Raichi winds up and Yukari's eyes widen as she sees the pitch's course. It's going toward Kazuya's head.

Fortunately, Kazuya manages to avoid it before it hits him, but he falls over on his back as he loses his footing. Yukari is on her feet in a second. Kazuya immediately turns to look at the dugout and holds a hand up to the dugout, signaling her not to come to him. She clicks her tongue and grits her teeth, but complies as she returns to her seat.

 _Raichi, you…_ Yukari's cold aura is full blown as she glares at Raichi, who feels her glare. He jumps and bows deeply at her.

Kazuya puts his batting helmet back on as he prepares for the next pitch.

"How can they use such an amateur pitcher?! What if our captain gets hurt?!" Sawamura complains loudly.

After those words, Yukari feels someone's eyes on her, but she ignores it. She doesn't want to make unnecessary fuss, since Kazuya hasn't been complaining. But after that fall, she is definitely more worried.

The next pitch is a ball. Kazuya swings and misses the next pitch, which is a throw to the out-low corner. _For Kazuya, Raichi is quite possibly the worst opponent. His pitches are too unpredictable so Kazuya wouldn't know where it would go next_ , Yukari thinks.

Kazuya hits the next pitch but the shortstop manages to catch it. _This is bad… his side might be bothering him more than I thought,_ Yukari thinks. _If he wasn't hurt, he would've hit far on both of his at-bats, but he didn't. People who know his tendency to perform well during clutch situations must be suspicious._

As he runs back to the dugout, Yukari eyes Kazuya worriedly. She wants to stop him from playing, but he hasn't made any serious mistakes. She promised him that she would only tell the head coach if his performance put the team at risk. It's only the third inning and while it's not a significant lead, they're still ahead by two runs. He has only been batting twice. It's too soon to make a decision.

Zono is up next. Yukari frowns when he misses an inside pitch. He eventually gets struck out. She warily eyes Raichi. _They were all fastballs… but just what kind of fastballs is he throwing…?_

xXx

It's the bottom of third with one out and a runner on second. The third out gets out but the runner, Akiba, advances to third. The next batter, Mishima, hits Nori's third pitch, but Kenjirou manages to catch it. Three outs and change.

 _Nori is doing really well,_ Yukari thinks as the players return to the dugout. She doesn't have to worry about him hydrating since after each time he finishes pitching, both Furuya and Sawamura are ready with a cup of water for him each.

At the top of fourth, Yakushi manages to retire Kenjirou. The next batter is Nori. He's putting up a fight by fouling Raichi's pitches. Yukari has to applaud both his tenacity and ability to keep up with Raichi's crazy pitches. But at one point, Raichi pitches right at Nori's head and it hit his bat. Nori falls over due to the impact.

Yukari is on her feet again with one foot at the top of the dugout's stairs. Nori turns to look at her and holds a hand up. She clicks her tongue. _Why is it when I don't want to do my job, they make work for me, and when I actually_ want _to work, they stop me?!_ She wonders as she winces at the sudden pain in her chest. She reluctantly returns to her seat, but not before glaring at Raichi again.

Raichi, who approached Nori to apologize, jumps and turns to look at Seidou's dugout and bows lowly once again.

Nori stands up and prepares for the next pitch. Raichi's next pitch is a wide ball and the count is now 2-2. The next pitch is an inside pitch and Nori jams it. He gets retired before he reaches first base.

"Nori-senpai, don't mind! Let it all wash away by having a drink!" Sawamura offers as Furuya holds up a cup.

"You okay, Nori?" Kijima asks before he reaches the dugout. Nori lets his right hand hang limply.

"It's a bit numb," Nori admits.

"Nori, let me see," Yukari says. Nori nods and approaches Yukari. She then massages his hand, asking him which parts are numb as guidance.

"It's your right hand, you okay?" Seki asks.

"How powerful is his pitch?" Yamaguchi asks.

"It breaks inward too, so it's a doozy," Zono says.

"For lefties too," Kazuya adds.

"It breaks in both directions? How is that possible?" Sawamura asks incredulously.

"The pitch goes crazy right as it reaches the plate," Kenjirou says, "He probably doesn't check his grip every time."

"So it's like Eijun-kun's," Haruichi says.

"No," Kenjirou says, "It's faster, so it might be more troublesome than Sawamura's."

Before they knew it, Yakushi has gotten their third out. Yukari clicks her tongue. _Too soon. I'm not done…_

"Kawakami," Kataoka calls out as Nori stands up from beside Yukari to return to the mound, "Is your hand okay? The first batter is Todoroki. He's on a roll from pitching, so be careful."

"Don't push yourself, Nori. If your hand bothers you, stop and tell me," Yukari says. Nori nods at both Kataoka and Yukari before he leaves for the mound. During his warm-up with Kazuya, Yukari notices his pitches are elevating.

Raichi then enters the batter's box to loud encouragement from the crowd. Nori's first pitch is a high inside pitch to Raichi's chest. Yukari bites her lower lip as she eyes Nori, or more specifically, his right hand. That massage earlier couldn't have helped much.

The next pitch bounces and it's a ball. The third pitch is a strike to the outside. _Now would be a good time for the sinker…_ Yukari thinks. Nori pitches, but Raichi smacks it powerfully to the left field stands. A home run.

 _It's a good thing there's no runner…_ Yukari thinks as she watches Raichi running around the diamond. _Nori…_

The next up at-bat is Shunpei. Considering he hit a breaking ball the last time, there's no telling what he'll go for this time. Yukari frowns when she sees the course of the first pitch. Shunpei hits it toward center field and Toujou catches it. Shunpei advances to first base.

Nori's first and second pitches against the next batter are ball that are close to the strike zone. The third pitch is another ball. The fourth is a strike. The batter hits the fifth pitch toward Nori.

Nori tries to catch it but only manages to tap it with his glove. The ball decelerates a little and Youichi, who had been going the direction where the ball was supposed to go, turns back and catches the bouncing ball with his bare hand and tosses it behind him to Haruichi, who steps on second base, and he swiftly throws it to Zono. Yukari smirks at the beautiful double play.

 _It seems that we have nothing to worry about regarding our iron defense wall. It's up and as strong as ever_ , Yukari thinks. _With fielders as reliable as them, our pitchers don't have anything to worry about._

Nori's first pitch against the next batter goes wide. He continues to throw four consecutive balls, walking the batter. Yukari clicks her tongue. _I told him to stop and tell me if his hand is bothering him, geez…_ she peeks at the head coach from the corner of her eyes to see if he's going to do anything.

Yukari winces when Nori hits the next batter. She stands up and gets some hot water and submerges a towel in it.

"Kanemaru," Kataoka calls out, "Go get Sawamura."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Yukari watches Nori from where she stands. _Just one more out, Nori. Get it and we'll do something about your hand._

Nori pitches and the next batter hits it toward right field. The runner on second base runs home.

When the P.A. system announces a change in players, Yukari grits her teeth through the pain as she wrings the hot towel. She asks Kanemaru to get a shoulder pack ready as Nori returns to the dugout. She welcomes him at the bottom of the stairs.

"I could tell you were really trying, Kawakami, but I wish you could've pitched a little more," Kataoka says. Nori flinches. The other players and Oota gape at Kataoka's words.

"Yes, sir! I'm sorry, sir!"

"Nori, come," Yukari says as she leads him to the back of the dugout, "Hold out your hand," she tells him. He obliges silently and Yukari gently applies the warm compress on his right hand. When he starts to shake, she sighs softly, "You're just not lucky this time. I wish you had stopped and called for me after those two walks."

"…I know. I'm sorry," Nori sobs. She sighs and pats his shoulder before she stands up. She sees Furuya approaching Nori with a paper cup in his hand. He looks at her in confusion, but she only shrugs before returning to her seat.


	40. Chapter 40

**Long time no see~**

* * *

It's the bottom of fourth with two runners on first and third. Nori had just been switched out with Sawamura after a home run from Raichi, walking two consecutive batters, and letting one of them score. Yakushi is back to the top of their lineup.

 _Sawamura, you're stronger than yourself. You've proven it to us by overcoming your yips. Be aggressive and focus on the first pitch,_ Yukari thinks as she watches the first year southpaw, ignoring Oota who is freaking out behind her.

Yukari smirks when she sees Sawamura's first pitch, which is a strike to the inside near Akiba's knee. His next pitch is a ball to the out-low corner just outside of the strike zone. Akiba jams the third pitch, but Shouji misses it. The runner from third base scores.

"Two outs, everyone! We gave them the lead, but let's stay nice and calm!"

Yukari rolls her eyes at Sawamura's unnecessary speech.

The next batter is up. While Sawamura winds up, both runners steal. The batter fouls the first pitch. The batter and the runners keep attempting to do a hit and run, but the batter keeps fouling Sawamura's pitch. _How about a straight fastball for the last strike? You bothered Kazuya to catch it for you this morning; don't you dare tell me you forgot how it feels already_ … Yukari suggests in her head.

Yukari smirks when Sawamura manages to pitch a clean fastball. She looks at the sketch of the trajectory that she drew as she watched the pitch go and nods approvingly. _Perfect._ Three outs and change.

Sawamura returns to the dugout while the supporters on the bench above the dugout start his chant, but to Yukari's surprise, Sawamura is quiet as he runs back to the dugout. _Why do I have a feeling he'll get loud once he gets in the dugout…?_ Yukari wonders as she watches Sawamura warily.

"Nice pitch, Sawamura," Nori says as he offers Sawamura a fist. Yukari smiles as she looks at him from the corner of her eyes. _Nori…_

"Of course! You put your resentment into the ball!" _See? He's not so quiet anymore now that he's in the dugout._

"Don't say it like that…"

The Seidou players then get ready for the offense.

It seems that Raichi's lack of control over his pitches now works in Seidou's favor. He walks three consecutive batters with four consecutive balls each. _While our batters have good eye in discerning which ones are balls and strikes, Raichi's strikes and balls are also miles apart_ , Yukari thinks. No out with bases loaded, and the next batter is Kazuya.

Yukari is worried. This is a great opportunity for them to score, but Yukari honestly can't tell with Kazuya. He hasn't been complaining, but his batting tells her that his side _has_ been bothering her.

 _You told me you didn't want to tell anyone because everyone has finally approved of you as their captain… but if you can't perform like a captain because of this injury, then it would mean nothing, Kazuya_ , Yukari thinks as she eyes Kazuya worriedly.

Yukari's eyes widen as she watches Raichi turn into a different person. Unlike the pitcher who threw twelve consecutive balls earlier, he properly throws strikes when he's up against Kazuya. Yukari winces when Kazuya twists his body quite harshly as he swings at the last pitch and gets struck out. _That has got to hurt._

Yukari wants to check his injury again, but it's hard to sneak away from everyone. She grips her pen tightly out of frustration, wincing slightly at the pain from her chest. Considering his consecutive failures in performing in clutch situations, she's sure that people know something is wrong with him.

"What's done is done!" Sawamura says as he offers Kazuya a drink, "Don't let it get to you, Captain!"

 _Well, maybe except for Sawamura. He's dense as hell._

"Oh, thanks for the drink," Kazuya says.

"But you're the cleanup, you know?! The cleanup!"

"You're loud," Kazuya complains, "They start with their three-hole next. You'd better be ready for it."

"I'm totally ready to crash and burn!"

"We can't have you crash and burn," Kazuya says, "Let's get the first batter out."

"Yes, sir!"

Yukari tries to catch Kazuya's eyes, but she dares to think that he's avoiding her. She sighs in frustration and tries to cover up her pain when it flares through her chest.

The next batter is Zono. The first pitch is a ball. Zono fouls the second pitch. The third pitch is another ball. Yukari frowns when she notices that Raichi has paused mid-laughter. Zono fouls the next pitch and the pitch after that is a ball. Full count.

Raichi pitches and Yukari smirks at the easy course. It seems that Zono has somehow managed to intimidate Raichi. Zono hits the pitch into the right field. The second the right fielder catches the ball and Youichi, who is in third base, sprints back home.

The next batter is Kenjirou. He fights for base on balls and now the bases are loaded again. Raichi has somehow lost his voice. Shouji enters the batter's box and Raichi throws a wide pitch. _If this goes on, Yakushi will have no choice but to change pitchers. Maybe with Shunpei?_ Yukari thinks.

"Pitcher switch!" Yukari hears Coach Todoroki from the other dugout as he points at Shunpei. The P.A. system announces the swap in position. Mishima will now cover first, Raichi will cover third, and Shunpei will pitch. Yakushi now has their best combination in the diamond.

Shouji and Sawamura return to the dugout while Yakushi warms up with their new formation.

"The count is 1-0," Kataoka says, "Sanada's pitches are based on fastballs, like the two-seamer and the cutter ball. Swing at his first inside pitch."

"Yes, sir!"

"We should take advantage of this switch. You need to take Shunpei down before he even _thinks_ about getting in his rhythm, Shouji-kun," Yukari says, "Good luck."

"Got it!" Shouji says before returning to the batter's box.

"I'm right behind you! Do I need to say anything more?!" Sawamura shouts from the on-deck circle. _That doesn't reassure me at all,_ Yukari thinks.

Shunpei pitches and Shouji jams it right towards third base. Raichi catches the ball and throws the ball towards Mishima, but it goes high. Before Toujou, who was in third base, can reach home plate, Mishima catches the ball while keeping his foot on the base. Three outs and change.

Shouji returns to the dugout and says, "The pitch dropped more than I expected."

Yukari looks at the sketch of Shunpei's pitch trajectory and clicks her tongue as she pinches the bridge of her nose. _That's his two-seamer, huh… it's more effective than I thought_ , she thinks. She then looks at the other dugout and sees Shunpei. _You've improved a lot since the last time we played each other, Shunpei._

"Kazuya," Yukari calls out before he leaves the dugout. She can feel everyone's eyes on them. Kazuya approaches her and she takes his hand as she stares into his eyes, "…one more," she says lowly so that no one but Kazuya can hear her.

 _One more mistake, and I'm telling Kantoku._

Kazuya squeezes her hand back and nods, "Okay," he says before he exits the dugout.

"Miyuki, can you do it?" Zono suddenly asks. Kazuya turns to look at him questioningly, but then he smirks.

"Do what?"

"Eh?! Because you're…"

"Zono," Youichi cuts him off, "Let's focus on the defense. We're up against tough batters this inning."

"Yeah, but…"

"Zono," Yukari says firmly, "Go."

"W-Wait, Kuramochi, Ichikawa!" Zono looks at both of them, "Don't tell me you knew! Especially you, Ichikawa! How could you?!"

Yukari flinches slightly as Youichi clicks his tongue.

"Say something, you two!"

"Who cares about that right now?"

"I do!"

"Stop it, Zono."

"So how _are_ you, Miyuki?" Kataoka asks.

Yukari flinches in her seat as she looks down to avoid everyone's eyes.

"I personally feel like I'm playing as usual, but I fail as the cleanup for being unable to score so many times," Kazuya admits.

"That's right! He's doing his best, and this is his best!" Sawamura says, "Please don't be so hard on him for failing!"

"Eijun-kun, shut up. Don't say a word," Sawamura gasps scandalously at Haruichi's sharp words.

"If it looks like I'm dragging the team down with the way I play, please switch me out anytime," Kazuya says.

"S-Switch you out…?" Oota stutters, "Miyuki, you…"

"I won't go against your decisions."

Yukari bites her lower lip. It feels as though she just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She feels guilty for letting Kazuya play. She feels guilty for not telling the head coach. She can feel some of the players judging her for letting an injured player – much less her own boyfriend – play in the finals.

"Okay," Kataoka finally says, "So you'll walk off when I say you're done?"

"Eh?!" Yukari can feel Oota's panic from behind her.

"I don't care if you're the captain and cleanup. If I think keeping you in hurts the team or even yourself, I'm switching you out. I don't care how you feel. The moment I see you unfit, I'm taking you out. You can hate me all you want."

 _But… I think he's ready for that,_ Yukari thinks. _And he won't blame Kantoku._

"However…" Kataoka continues, "I'm not the one playing the game. You guys on the field are. There are people in the stands. There are people in the dugout. You're all representing everyone to play on the field. If you're playing, don't be half-hearted. Give everything you have to each play. Go show me Seidou's baseball!"

"Okay! I'll show you!" Sawamura shouts.

Yukari lifts her head and her eyes meet Kazuya's. He smiles wryly at her and she sighs with a small smile.

"Ono," Kazuya calls out, "Be ready. If I mess up, he and Yuka-chan are actually gonna take me out."

Ono nods at him. The fielders then enter the field.

"Let's do this!"

"Yeah!"

xXx

At the bottom of fifth, Mishima is up first at-bat.

Sawamura pitches a four-seamer to the outside, and Yukari smirks at the height and course. _That's perfect._ The next one is a crossfire pitch to the inside, and Mishima fouls it. The third pitch is a change-up. A swinging strikeout.

The next batter is a thorn in Sawamura's side, for sure. Raichi enters the batter's box.

Yukari nods in approval when she sees where Kazuya is sitting. _A fastball to the inside… the pitch he failed to throw in the practice game, huh?_ Yukari thinks. Sawamura winds up with a grin and he pitches.

Raichi hits it towards left field, but it doesn't go far. _That's good. He got jammed,_ Yukari thinks. But no matter what the fielders say to console him, Sawamura is already frustrated because his 'best pitch' got hit.

 _Don't get fixated on Raichi, Sawamura. Shunpei can be scarier than him if you're not careful,_ Yukari thinks as her childhood friend enters the batter's box. Sawamura tries to retire Raichi at first base out of frustration.

 _You used to be so predictable, Shunpei… but I guess you have to get stronger not just as a pitcher, but as a batter too, huh?_ Yukari thinks.

Sawamura winds up and Raichi steals. Shunpei swings at the outside pitch and Kazuya throws the ball to Youichi at second base, but he misthrows. Raichi lands in second base before Youichi steps on the base.

 _That's your one mistake, Kazuya_ , Yukari thinks, "Kantoku."

"What is it, Ichikawa?"

"…I'm going to check his injury during the next offense," Yukari says, "Depending on his injury, he might need a pinch hitter. But I will leave that decision to you."

"Okay," Kataoka says.

"Yukari… you really knew…" Sachi says. Yukari doesn't reply to that and bites her lower lip.

After a short time out, Kazuya returns from the mound to the plate. He moves to sit closer to Shunpei to get ready for an inside pitch. Sawamura pitches a cutter and Shunpei gets jammed, but the ball flies toward center. The ball falls right before Toujou, but he doesn't manage to throw it anywhere. At least Raichi can't run back home. One out with runners on first and third.

 _They managed to hit Sawamura's best two pitches today to the outfield… and they were_ jammed _. I'd hate to imagine where the ball would go if the pitches weren't as good…_ Yukari thinks. Kazuya stands and signals the infielders to move up. The next batter enters the batter's box

Sawamura winds up and the batter changes his stance to bunt. The ball hits his bat but it stops in the foul zone. The next pitch is a moving fastball to the outside, but it goes a little wide. While Sawamura winds up, Raichi runs and the batter changes his stance again. This time the bunt is successful and Sawamura chases after the ball and throws it to first base as Raichi runs home.

Yukari ignores Oota's panicked scream, Sawamura's frustrated shout, and the sound of Furuya's fastball hitting Hiroshi's mitt from the bullpen. She rolls her eyes. _No matter how much you appeal to Kantoku, you're not getting more than one inning, Furuya. Besides, it's too soon._

Eventually, Seidou gets their third out and it's time to change. Yukari stands from her seat and waits for Kazuya to return to the dugout. When their eyes meet, he sighs and smiles in resignation. He lets her take him to the waiting room in the dugout, and much to Yukari's surprise, Rei is already there with a physician. And she does _not_ look happy; particularly with her.

"Rei-san…"

"Yukari-chan, did you know about this?" Rei asks. Yukari bites her lower lip and averts her eyes from Rei's before nodding. She winces when Rei raises her voice, "Why didn't you say anything?! How could you let him play?!"

"Rei-chan, it's not her fault," Kazuya says.

"Kazuya," Yukari says. Kazuya turns to look at her, and she shakes her head. He bites his lower lip, but backs down nonetheless, "It's true; I let him play. I put the team over him because I thought it would be the best for the team."

"But don't you think about his future?! What if his injury leaves him unable to play not just for this game, but also for good?!"

"Of course I thought about that!" Yukari raises her voice in frustration. She takes a deep breath and exhales it in frustration when it doesn't reach her lungs. Her tone goes back down, "I made him promise to tell me or Youichi-kun if he can't handle it anymore, but he didn't say anything, so I didn't push it."

Rei heaves a deep sigh, "We'll talk about this later," she then turns to the physician, "This is our trainer, Ichikawa Yukari."

Yukari sighs before bowing, "I'm actually not a trainer yet, but nice to meet you."

The physician nods, "Nice to meet you. Have you checked his injury?"

"Yes, just last night. I think he pulled his muscles, but I don't think anything's broken."

"Okay," The physician then proceeds to check Kazuya's injury and movement. After he's done, he turns to look at Rei and the head coach, "Nothing is broken, but he does seem to be in pain. Like Ichikawa-san said, his oblique muscles might be injured. The worst possibility is a muscle tear. Considering it's the oblique muscles, it will most assuredly affect his performance," he turns his attention toward Yukari, "Have done any first-aid treatment?"

Yukari nods, "It was bruising, so I iced the injury last night before he went to bed and every hour since this morning until the beginning of the match for twenty minutes. I also applied bandage over it. I would like to ice it again and reapply fresh bandage, but we only have so much time between offense and defense…"

"It's true…" the physician says. He turns to look at Kazuya, "It's a good thing Ichikawa-san gave you first-aid treatment. I think that plays the biggest role as to why you can still move next to normal, aside from the adrenaline," he turns back to look at the coach, "It's still a hard call to make, since he's saying he can manage."

"Why didn't you tell us yesterday?" Rei asks, "You know very well what happened to Chris-kun when he was injured."

Everyone flinches at the mention of Chris' injury, especially Yukari.

"Well… we have a long break after today, so I thought I could last a day," Kazuya says nonchalantly.

"What are you saying?! We have the Jingu Tournament coming up soon, and you're the one who's going to pay the price for hiding an injury!" Rei scolds him.

"If we don't win today, there's no Jingu Tournament or Senbatsu for us… Rei-chan," Kazuya says, shocking Rei into silence, "Not to mention… Kantoku will leave, too."

The room is washed in silence until Youichi speaks up, "If you couldn't play, you'd say so, right? He hasn't said anything, so it means he can play."

"I made him promise to tell me or Youichi-kun if he was hurt," Yukari says. She turns to look straight into Rei's eyes, "I trust him, Rei-san."

"Kuramochi-kun… Yukari-chan…"

"You try to be way too cool! You need to tell us when you get hurt!" Zono protests.

"Yeah, you pretend to worry about other people," Nori says.

"Seriously," Kenjirou says with a smirk, "You're so stubborn when it comes to baseball."

"Yep," Kazuya says with a smile as he buttons up his uniform, "I've left the decision to the coach. So long as I'm on the field, I'll do my best."

"Yes," Kataoka says, "I'll make the call based on his plays. I've already told them that."

The physician sighs, "Very well. Tell Ichikawa-san if you feel any kind of pain," the physician says.

"I will," Kazuya says.

"Thank you," The head coach bows slightly at the physician as he leaves the room, "Ichikawa."

Yukari turns to look straight at the head coach, "Yes, sir."

"Thank you for taking care of him."

Yukari shakes her head, "It's my job; you don't need to thank me for it."

"Then good job on noticing and treating him," Kataoka says with a smile, "Don't worry. No one blames you, and you shouldn't blame yourself. Everyone understands why you made that decision."

Yukari's eyes widen as she watches the coach's back. Since last night, she's been having so many things running through her mind. What if Kazuya won't say anything to her even if he's hurt because he doesn't want anyone to worry? What if Kazuya's injury becomes permanent? If he couldn't play baseball anymore, it would be her fault. She would've robbed him of his dreams, and that is the last thing she wants to happen.

Having someone tell her that no one blames her for the decision she thought hard to decide on makes her feel better, especially after feeling so frustrated with herself. She then turns to look toward Rei, who is looking at her. She takes a deep breath and bows at her, "I'm sorry, Rei-san. I was out of line."

Rei shakes her head, "No, _I_ was out of line. It was wrong of me to think that you didn't care for Miyuki-kun's future. I'm sure you agonized over it. I understand why you decided to let him play. I was just worried about him."

"I know. I'm worried about him too," Yukari says, "But knowing him, even if I told him not to play, he'll play anyway."

Rei chuckles, "That's true," she then sighs, "Don't stress out too much. I'm going to return to the stands. You need to return to the dugout soon, Yukari-chan. Keep an eye on all of them; they need you."

Yukari gives her a small smile, "…yes, ma'am."

"Yuka-chan," Kazuya calls out. Yukari turns to look at him, "I'm sorry. Maybe I should've done a better job at hiding it."

"You shouldn't have hidden it in the first place!" Zono says, "You're only troubling Ichikawa, idiot! If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have been able to move the way you did! You'd better be grateful!"

"I am!"

"Don't beat yourself up, Ichikawa," Kenjirou says, "Maybe it wasn't very trainer-like of you to let an injured player play, but it's not like you just sat there and did nothing. You did your best in treating him."

"You considered the team and his wishes in making that decision," Nori adds, "I can't even imagine how much you stressed over it."

"Are _you_ okay?" Youichi asks Yukari. Her eyes widen when she realizes what he's talking about. He must've taken into consideration the amount of stress she had to go through while brooding over her decision. She smirks.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking, Youichi-kun," Yukari says. She turns to look at her boyfriend, "Kazuya, if you really want to give me a peace of mind, do your best out there…" she then turns to look at her fellow second years with a smirk, "And win this."

The players answer her smirk with one of their own.

"Yes, ma'am!"


	41. Chapter 41

**I am a horrible, horrible human being.**

 **I spent the day yesterday going out with my friends and at night I watched Touken Ranbu until I went to sleep. Completely forgotten about posting the next chapter.**

 **Not to mention this is just a closing chapter for the Yakushi vs. Seidou finals match.**

 **I'm sorry!**

* * *

When Yukari returns to the dugout, Sawamura is already back in it and Takeru had just barely landed safely in first base. Unfortunately, Seidou's batters keep getting jammed by Shunpei's pitches and they get their third out.

After everyone found out that Kazuya is injured, Yukari feels as though a weight has been lifted off of her shoulder. She only has to worry about everyone getting injured and Kazuya injuring himself further, and not worry about keeping Kazuya's injury from anyone.

During the bottom of sixth, Sawamura manages to keep Yakushi from scoring.

The first batter at the top of seventh is Haruichi. He swings at the first pitch but the force of Shunpei's shootball splits his wooden bat in half. He doesn't get to first base in time. The next up is Kazuya. He hits the pitch right towards third and Yakushi gets their second out.

 _They were all to the outside…_ Yukari thinks.

Zono also gets struck out and before they knew it, it's already time to change.

 _His cutter is getting even more troublesome…_ Yukari thinks as she pinches the bridge of her nose.

Sawamura jams the first batter for their first out, and next up is Mishima. After the first strike, he fouls Sawamura's change-up. He then fouls Sawamura's next pitch and hits the one after that behind Youichi.

Raichi is up next and Kazuya sits near him to get ready to catch an inside pitch. _Knowing Kazuya, he'd ask for a change-up here since Raichi hasn't seen it. But during the intra-squad, if his change-up is just a little bit high against a left-handed batter, it could go far. With Raichi, it would even fly out of the park. Be careful in pitching it low, Sawamura._

Sawamura pitches and Raichi fouls it. _He already somewhat got the timing down. If you want to end him with the change-up, it needs to be perfect, Sawamura._

Sawamura pitches another change-up and Raichi fouls it again. Yukari nods in approval. _Good. Keep it low, Sawamura,_ she thinks as she looks at the sketches of Sawamura's pitched change-ups trajectories. She looks up just in time to see Kazuya sitting away from Raichi. She smirks.

Sawamura pitches and Yukari's hand is quick to sketch the trajectory. When Raichi misses it, she scoffs out a laugh. _They just struck Raichi out._

Shunpei enters the batter's box. Sawamura ignores Mishima's taunts and pitches a change-up as his first strike. Shunpei fouls the second pitch, which is a fastball. _That was a ball._ The third pitch is a ball, which is also a fastball. _All the fastballs have been thrown out of the strike zone. The ones that are within it are change-ups. Which means…_

Yukari smirks when Shunpei swings before the ball reaches the plate. _Another swinging strikeout. Not to mention they got two of Yakushi's most dangerous batters back to back. I'm almost jealous of this battery_ , she thinks as she puts a hand over her heart.

 _It's not as if I want to be a player again… I haven't played in a long time and I think it would be hard for me to form a battery with anyone… But I would be able to help out the pitchers and the catchers better if I can catch myself…_ Yukari exhales as she straightens her posture. _I_ need _to get better before I graduate._

"Nice call," Yukari praises Kazuya as he returns to the dugout. He grins at her. She feels someone's eyes on her and she frowns when she sees Sawamura looking expectantly at her. She sighs in resignation, "Fine, I'll praise you all you want when we win."

"OKAY! LET'S WIN AND GET PRAISED BY YUKIHIME-SENPAI!"

" _That's_ your motivation…?"

"I'm counting on you next inning too, Sawamura," Kataoka says.

"Yes, Boss!"

xXx

At the top of eighth, before the fielders go to the field, Kataoka gathers them in front of the dugout.

"Shootball, cutter, and a two-seamer. He's also throwing more to the outside. He pitches a lot of strikes, so just waiting for an easy pitch won't get us anywhere. Don't be afraid of getting jammed! Get aggressive from the first pitch! Swing hard! Pressure hard! And hit past the fielders!"

"YES, SIR!"

The first batter for Seidou is Kenjirou. He enters the batter's box and stands on the line. Before going to the batter's box, he already told Yukari about his plan and she reluctantly lets him risk getting hit. _Just don't let it go to waste, Kenjirou-kun. If you wanna risk getting hit, make it count_ , she thinks as she watches the right fielder.

Yukari scoffs when Shunpei pitches an inside pitch. Kenjirou doesn't budge and stays where he is. He hits the next pitch right toward first base. One out.

The next batter is Kanemaru, who is replacing Shouji.

 _Well, this one is_ used _to getting hit by balls, as twisted as it sounds_ , Yukari thinks with a smirk. Kanemaru enters the batter's box and stands close to the plate as well. The first pitch is a ball thrown close to his face, and Yukari glares coldly at Shunpei. _Oi. Don't make more work for me, bastard._

Shunpei, who feels her glare, turns to look at her and only smirks. It's as if he's telling her not to blame him, but the batters. _You have no reason to aim for his head, damn it_ , Yukari thinks.

Kanemaru hits the next pitch and it bounces in front of Raichi, who jumps to catch it. Fortunately, it goes over his mitt and into the left field. Kanemaru lands in second base right before the shortstop steps on the base.

Before Sawamura goes to bat, Seki gives him a message from Kataoka. Yukari smirks in amusement when he sacrifice bunts Shunpei's pitch right along the third-base line, advancing Kanemaru to third base. _Well, it's not like you can bat well…_

The next batter is Takeru. Unlike the previous two batters, he stands quite far from the plate. The first pitch is a ball to the outside, and Takeru steps in for it. Yukari smirks as she watches Shunpei. _Let's see if you use your head enough, Shunpei._

The next pitch is an inside pitch and Takeru hits it hard. He dives for the first base almost at the same time as the ball, but unfortunately, the umpire deems him out. Time to change.

At the bottom of eighth, Sawamura let a runner on first with no outs. While Kazuya fails to retire him, Yukari is glad to see him reacting well. The batter bunts and Sawamura catches it. He throws it to second, retiring the runner from first, and Youichi throws to Zono, retiring the batter. He then strikes the next batter out. They go into the ninth inning with Yakushi up by one run.

Yukari heaves a sigh as she watches Youichi entering the batter's box. _You_ have _to get in base, Youichi-kun. That's a given, since it_ is _your job._ All of the infielders are moving up, expecting a bunt or any infield hits. _They're basically telling you that you can only bunt and run, Youichi-kun… go and prove them wrong. You didn't practice your swings every night to get undermined like this._

Youichi hits the first pitch toward the second base and he runs like hell to first base. Unfortunately, he doesn't reach it in time. Yukari sighs as she sees disappointment in Youichi's body language. He goes into the dugout and isolates himself, until Sawamura asks him to play catch with him. Yukari relaxes when he accepts. _Don't dwell on it, Youichi-kun. We can still do this._

The next batter up is Toujou. The first pitch is a ball near Toujou's face. He jams the next pitch and gets retired at first base. Yukari takes a deep breath and closes her eyes as she exhales. Her eyes are abruptly opened when she hears the familiar sound of a strong fastball landing in a catcher's mitt, immediately silencing the crowd.

"It's not over! It's not even close to being over!" Sawamura shouts from the bullpen. Yukari scoffs. _Good job in shutting them up_ , "Now, throw another one!" Furuya obliges.

The next batter is Haruichi. Yukari eyes him, a little worried. He has a spare bat, so he doesn't have to hit with a metal bat. She's just worried about the amount of pressure he must be in. His at-bat will determine if they will lose or continue fighting, after all.

"Kominato," Kazuya calls out before Haruichi leaves for the diamond.

"Y-Yes?" Haruichi approaches the head coach.

"They're rushing to win right now, so they'll aggressively pitch strikes. Don't give it to them so easily," Kataoka smirks, "You just hit the ball back. Isn't that right? Don't overthink things out there."

Yukari smirks as she remembers the words Haruichi told the head coach back during the batting practice to get ready for the match against Sensen.

"Come on, lucky boy!" Zono cheers.

"Get aggressive," Kazuya says.

"Haru-kun," Yukari calls out. She smiles at him when she can see one of his eyes through his bangs, "Trust yourself and your batting."

Haruichi nods determinedly and turns to walk toward the batter's box. He stands close to the plate and makes himself more compact. _Do you have something in mind, Haru-kun…?_ Yukari wonders.

Shunpei pitches and Haruichi steps in. He cleanly hits the shootball into center field. Yukari grins. She is amused to see that Haruichi doesn't blush when he lifts his fist in the first base.

The next batter is Kazuya. Considering his record in the match, Yukari is a little bit worried. She hopes that the pressure from the pinch and the adrenaline rush is enough to numb the pain, at least until the match is over.

She eyes Haruichi, Kijima, and Ryouta. _Shunpei tends to get too focused on the batter, so we need to find a chance for a steal._ She then turns to look at her boyfriend's back. _Kazuya…_

The second Shunpei winds up, Haruichi dashes for second base. While Kazuya misses the first pitch, Haruichi lands safely in second base.

 _There you go; runner on second base. You don't need them these days, but being able to see the runner calms you down, doesn't it, Kazuya?_ Yukari thinks as she eyes Kazuya. _We're in a pinch and there's a runner you can see clearly. Please, Kazuya… if you miss this, I won't forgive you._

The second pitch is a ball to the outside. _That was a bit high. Of course Shunpei would be tense as well._ The next pitch is also a ball.

Yakushi suddenly calls for a time-out. Yukari catches Kazuya's eyes and silently asks him if he's okay. He grins at her, but she can tell that he's also nervous. She gives him a small smirk. _It's okay. I know there's a lot on the line, but we're_ all _nervous; including Yakushi. Let's make them even_ more _nervous._ He answers her smirk with one of his own, as if understanding what she was thinking.

Yakushi's time-out ends. Kazuya gets ready for the next pitch and Yukari notices him holding his bat slightly shorter. Shunpei pitches and Kazuya fouls it. The next pitch is a ball and it's now full count. Kazuya fouls the next pitch. He hits the pitch after that past the shortstop for a single.

Yukari exhales harshly in relief. The next up is Zono. She can tell that he's nervous from the fact that he's so focused on walking to the batter's box that Kenjirou has to call him three times before he stops. He turns to look at the head coach and Kataoka signs him to not miss the first strike.

 _He's either focused or too tense; it's hard to tell…_ Yukari thinks as she sighs. She notices the outfielders moving out, expecting a big hit. _So they don't mind if we tie the game_ , Yukari thinks.

As Shunpei winds up, Kazuya runs for second base. Zono swings and misses the pitch, and Akiba throws the ball to Shunpei. While the ball goes, Haruichi runs for home. Shunpei catches the ball and Haruichi returns to third base. Kazuya successfully steals second base.

 _Nice_ , Yukari thinks with a nod of approval. _But Zono, you're too tense. That one was a ball. Don't worry too much. You haven't been swinging like crazy for nothing_.

Zono swings and misses the next pitch to the outside. Yukari scoffs when the breath she tries to inhale doesn't reach her lungs. _I'm nervous too._

Zono fouls the next pitch. The pitch after that is a ball to the outside. He fouls another outside pitch. Yukari exhales sharply at that. _That was close._

Shunpei pitches and Zono hits it. Yukari gapes as she watches the ball fly over the shortstop's head. _Just like the way Kantoku told him to_ , she thinks. Haruichi runs home for their tying run.

When Yukari notices the right fielder failing to catch the ball properly, she turns to look at Kazuya and Ryouta. _Go! I don't give a damn about your injury right now, just slide for it!_

Yukari watches with bated breath as Kazuya dives for the plate. She's already has one foot on the topmost stair of the dugout when Kazuya falls on his injured side, his helmet falling off his head from the impact. She exhales harshly in relief when the umpire deems him safe. But when she notices him still on all fours beside the plate, her eyes widen in worry.

"Kazuya!" Yukari doesn't think twice in running over to him. Kenjirou also approaches him.

"Oi, Mi–"

Yukari stops beside Kenjirou when Kazuya hits the ground with his fist multiple times before sitting on his knees with a bright grin on his face. He shoves a fist toward the dugout. Yukari sighs in half-relief, half-exasperation. She approaches him and helps him to his feet.

"Nice run. That was close," Yukari praises as Kazuya wraps an arm around her shoulder. She bows slightly at the umpire in apology, who nods at her. She turns to look at Zono and she offers him a fist with a smirk. He grins at her.

"Hyahahaha! Miyuki, nice run!" Youichi exclaims as he runs from the bullpen. Yukari leads Kazuya to the back of the dugout, followed by Youichi. She wants to ice his injury again, but Kazuya still needs to defend. After she lets Kazuya sit, she almost loses her footing out of dizziness. If not for Youichi keeping her from falling, she would've fallen over.

"Oi, Ichikawa, you okay?"

"Yuka-chan…"

Much to Kazuya's and Youichi's surprise, Yukari chuckles, "I got dizzy from excitement. My heart's beating like crazy too," she looks at their eyes with a smirk, "But it doesn't hurt. Maybe it actually does, but I'm too pumped to feel it," she turns to look at the field, "I just want this to end soon."

She watches as Kenjirou stands close to the plate. He hits the first pitch toward the second base, but Zono gets out before he reaches the base. Three outs and change.

"It all comes down to Kantoku's decision on who's closing, huh…?" Yukari says as she helps Kazuya with his gears.

Kazuya nods, "Yeah. It's a difficult call. If we use Furuya, we can't go into extra innings. We may have turned the game around, but we have to go all-in or give up."

Yukari feels eyes on them and she turns around to see the head coach looking at them.

"Boss! I'm still full of energy! I feel good, too! Please let me pitch!" Sawamura begs.

Yukari sighs.

"Please let me pitch the last inning."

Kazuya chuckles. The players all look at the head coach, anticipating his answer.

"You've pitched well," Kataoka starts, "Especially in the seventh and eighth innings. Your pitching really helped the team turn the game around. Now it's your turn, Furuya. I'm giving the last inning to you. You're the ace. Go close it out."

xXx

"This is it," Yukari says as she pats Kazuya's chest protector. She looks right into his eyes, "Give this one your all and let's win this."

Kazuya smirks at her and nods before he leaves for the diamond.

"Bottom of the ninth, Seidou has announced a change in players. Replacing Sawamura-kun as pitcher is Furuya-kun. Batting eighth and pitcher, Furuya-kun."

It's a shame that Sawamura had to be switched out considering he had been performing well, but Furuya _is_ Seidou's ace. When he can enter the mound, even if it's just one inning, he should. It's his first time closing, and Yukari hopes he _will_ close it. He can't go more than one inning without jeopardizing his whole future, after all.

She has left a shoulder pack for Sawamura, but he's been ignoring it. Yukari sighs in resignation. She'll just have to force it on him after the match. She turns to look back at the mound, where Kazuya is talking with Furuya, and she lets a small smile out after she hears him laugh. _He's having fun, isn't he?_

The first batter, Akiba, jams Furuya's third pitch and gets retired at first base. The second batter jams the second pitch after swinging and missing Furuya's vertical slider. Haruichi catches the ball in the infield for the second out. Mishima misses the first pitch. The second pitch is a vertical slider, which Mishima swings and misses at. The next pitch is a ball. The last pitch is a fastball. A swinging strikeout.

Yukari grins brightly as Sachi hugs her out of joy.

They just won the fall tournament.

* * *

 **Excuse the anti-climactic-ness. In my defense, in the anime, the finals ended in rather a flat tone itself. It was kinda hard to add something to it. Or maybe I'm just making excuses. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless, though!**

 **Next week's chapters will be the last two chapters of this fic!**


	42. Chapter 42

**This week is the ending week, unfortunately. These last two chapters will cover the aftermath of the fall tournament before the end of the school year. I know it's the end, but enjoy it nonetheless?**

* * *

The two teams line up and Youichi has to hold Kazuya upright as they do. It seems that he has finally relaxed and given up to the pain. After they bow at each other, Shunpei approaches Kazuya.

"O-Oi, Miyuki…" Shunpei calls out with wide eyes, "Have you been playing the whole game injured?"

Kazuya chuckles, "Well, kinda."

"I can't believe Yukari let you play. What the hell was she thinking?" Shunpei asks.

"In her defense, even if she told me not to, I would've still played," Kazuya admits. Shunpei scoffs before he hit Kazuya on his head, "Ow!"

"Oi!" Youichi growls.

"What the hell is that for?!" Zono asks.

"I'm damn sure you're worrying Yukari to death right now. Childhood friend privileges, remember?" Shunpei says, "Go. And for her sake, don't get hurt again."

"Geez, do you like me that much, Sanada?" Kazuya asks with a playful grin.

"Shut up. It's not you I like; it's her. If you hurt her, I wanna be the first to kick your ass," Shunpei says with a mischievous look on his face.

"Get in line," Kazuya says with a smirk. Shunpei mirrors it.

"Go. Say hi to her for me."

xXx

After the game, the players filter into the waiting room and Yukari turns her phone on. She watches the first year pitchers like a hawk to make sure they cool down.

"You two! Don't forget to ice! Don't trouble Yuka-chan even more!" Kazuya yells.

"Shut up! I'm doing it right now!" Sawamura yells back, "You didn't even tell us you were hurt! You kept me out of the loop!"

"That's just because you were too dense. Everyone noticed, you know?" Yukari says.

"Yeah, everyone did," Haruichi confirms.

"Eh? Are you worried about me?" Kazuya asks with a mischievous grin.

"Shut up! Go see the doctor! You told me not to trouble Yukihime-senpai, but you're troubling her yourself!" Sawamura says. Yukari sighs with a small smirk.

"Thanks for coming to my defense, Sawamura…" her smirk slowly turns cold, "But if you don't cool down right this moment, I'm _never_ going to praise you. _Any_ of you. _Ever_."

Kazuya chuckles when the two first year pitchers flinch violently and start scrambling for their shoulder packs.

"Miyuki," the head coach suddenly calls out, "Sorry."

Yukari's eyes widen at Kataoka's apology.

"The last defense. I wasn't planning on letting you play, but you know how Yakushi is. I didn't want to give them any openings. I prioritized the win in the end."

Kazuya looks to his feet, but Yukari can tell that he's smiling.

"I see," Kazuya says, "If you still thought I was useful, then I'm glad. I honestly thought I was dragging the team down with my own selfishness."

"Don't try to sound cool, idiot!"

"Not like you would've switched anyway."

Suddenly Yukari's phone buzzes in her pocket. She takes it out and frowns when she sees her mother's name on the screen. She presses on the screen and puts the phone against her ear, "Okaa-san?"

"Yukari, please congratulate everyone for us! That was such a great game!"

Yukari pulls her mouth slightly away from the mouthpiece and says, "My parents said congratulations."

"Thank you!"

Yukari puts her phone closer, "You heard them."

"Anyways, we're already up front. We're going to the hospital."

Yukari's eyes widen in slight shock, "Huh? Why…?"

"Asano-kun called us and told us he has the test results."

Yukari's eyes widen even more at the information, but she nods, "Got it. Since we're going there anyway, do you mind if I take someone with us?"

"Do any of them need to be taken to the hospital?"

"No… just Kazuya."

Yukari smirks when she hears her mother sigh in exasperation, "What did he do?"

"He got tackled by a runner during the last match. Injured his oblique muscles and played the whole match with it."

"Please tell him he's in trouble."

Yukari pulls her phone away a little and turns to look at Kazuya with a smirk, "Okaa-san said you're in trouble, Kazuya."

Kazuya flinches, "Geh…"

"Who else is coming, Yukari?"

"Oh, just Rei-san, Youichi-kun and Zono."

"Okay, we'll be waiting for you."

"Oota-buchou, we don't need a taxi. My parents will take us to the hospital," Yukari announces.

"Oh, is that so? Then, we'll leave it to you, Ichikawa!" Oota says.

"I'll see you up front, Okaa-san," Yukari says before she hangs up.

"Well, I'll take him now," Youichi says as he helps Kazuya up by his shoulders.

"Get up!" Zono commands.

"I can walk…" Kazuya protests.

"Let's go," Yukari says.

"You're unbelievable. You could barely stand during the closing ceremony," Zono says.

"You were crying like crazy," Kazuya retorts childishly.

"Shut up!"

xXx

Yukari leads the captain, his vice-captains, and Rei to the parking lot. They see Yayoi waving at them from beside her family's car. Suddenly Kazuya slumps in Youichi's arms.

"Kazuya, you okay?" Yukari calls out. Kazuya mumbles something, but she can't hear him.

"Huh? What did you say?" Youichi asks.

"I can't…" Kazuya mumbles.

"What? You can't what?" Zono asks.

"I'm not suited to be the captain," Kazuya suddenly says.

"Huh?!"

"You guys should put yourselves in my shoes. You can be captains," Kazuya slurs before he finally gives up to gravity. Before he can hit the floor, Youichi grabs him.

"Oh, no! Is he dying?! He's going crazy!"

"Calm down, Zono. He must be in a lot of pain," Yukari says as she catches her mother's eyes and mouths at her to get her father to help, "He had been high on adrenaline so he couldn't feel any pain during the match. Now that everything's over and he's relaxed, I guess the pain is getting to his head…"

"Need a hand?" Kawanomu asks as he approaches them. Youichi and Zono flinch and Yukari can tell that they're trying their best not to freak out.

"Sorry, Otou-san. He's been holding back since the beginning of the game," Yukari says.

"It's so tough…" Kazuya continues to slur.

"Yes, yes, I get it, Miyuki. Let's get in the car, shall we?" Kawanomu says as he takes Kazuya from Youichi's hands. He holds Kazuya up without jolting him too much. Yukari opens the door to the back seat and looks at her father questioningly when he doesn't immediately put Kazuya in the car, "Get in, Yukari. He'll feel better if he's sitting beside you," Kawanomu says with a grin.

Yukari blushes, "Usually fathers wouldn't let their daughters sit next to their boyfriends in the car, you know?"

"I know his kind of guy. Now get in," Kawanomu insists.

Yukari sighs, but complies. She sits on the side behind the driver and Youichi and Zono sits on the seat behind her. Kazuya is then put beside her, with Rei on his other side, while her parents sit in the front with her father driving.

"It hurts, huh?" Yukari asks softly.

"It's so hard, Yuka-chan…" Kazuya whines.

"I know. I know it's hard," Yukari says as she gently pulls his head against her shoulder, "But you did a great job."

"I'm such a bad captain… and I worried you… Sanada even hit me for worrying you… you're so precious to me, Yuka-chan, believe me…" Kazuya slurs.

"Shunpei did?" Yukari asks.

"You know I'll be holding this against him, right, Ichikawa? Hyahaha!" Youichi says.

Yukari rolls her eyes, "Do as you like."

"Yuka-chan, I'm so sorry… I'm such a bad boyfriend…"

Yukari sighs and pets his hair, "No, you're not. And you're not a bad captain. _I'm_ the one who should be sorry. I'm sorry for putting you through that. And thank you for making good on your promise. You did your best and led the team to a victory," she says as her hand continues to pet his hair, "Now we're gonna go to the hospital, and you're gonna let the doctor check on you. After that, you're gonna listen to what the doctor says. If he tells you to rest, you rest, got it?"

"Yeah…" Kazuya slurs.

Yukari sighs sharply, "If only you were always this cooperative…"

When they arrive at the hospital, Yukari and her parents walk with Rei, Kazuya, Youichi, and Zono until they reach an intersection between the E.R. and the other departments.

"Well, we'll see you later, Rei-chan," Yayoi says.

"Eh? You're not coming, Yukari-chan?" Rei asks.

"I have an appointment here," Yukari says as she points at the sign hanging from the ceiling.

"Cardiology… X-Ray… OB/GYN?" Zono reads the sign as his eyes grow wider and wider, "Eh?!"

Yukari rolls her eyes at his overreaction, "I don't even wanna know what you're thinking right now, Zono," she then looks at Youichi, "Tell me what the doctor says after he's done with him, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Youichi says as he leads Kazuya to the emergency room.

"Eh? Oi, Kuramochi, did you know about this?!"

"Let it go, Zono. It's not my story to tell," Yukari hears Youichi say.

"Is Miyuki gonna be a father?!"

"Why do you get to that conclusion first, idiot?!"

She scoffs incredulously as she watches as Rei, Kazuya, Youichi, and Zono walk away. She knew Zono would get his mind in the gutter, but his amusing reaction is exactly the reason why she doesn't bother correcting him. Besides, if she can get him off her trail for just a little bit longer, it would be ideal. She takes a deep breath before turning to look at her parents.

"You ready?" Yayoi asks.

Yukari shrugs, "Yeah, sure."

Kawanomu smiles wryly, "Let's go."

xXx

Two days after Seidou's win at the fall tournament, the head coach gathers everyone in the indoor practice building before afternoon practice starts. Yukari follows him, Rei, Oota, and Ochiai. Also following them is Kazuya.

"Is everyone here?" Kataoka asks Youichi, who is standing right at the front with Zono. Youichi nods, "Okay. Good afternoon, everyone."

"Good afternoon!"

"Ichikawa will now tell you Miyuki's condition," Kataoka says. He nods at Yukari and takes a step back.

Yukari nods and steps forward, "The doctor said that Kazuya has pulled his side abdominals. The doctor has strictly ordered a three-week recovery period. I am counting on each and every one of you to keep him away from practicing. At all. At least until his doctor gives him the okay."

"Geez, you're strict, Yuka-chan…"

Yukari sighs and looks at Kazuya, "It's a relief to know that your bones aren't cracked, but… given the nature of your injury, if you don't rest within that period of time, you might not be able to return to baseball," she can see some of the players flinching at her words from the corner of her eyes, but Kazuya looks unfazed. She then turns to look at the players, "That is all," she says before taking a step back and standing beside Kazuya.

"Subsequently, we will have to fight in the Jingu Tournament without relying on Miyuki," Kataoka says, "I have no intention to include him in the tournament roster, either."

"Eh?" Kazuya gapes in shock and Yukari smirks.

"Kuramochi, I appoint you the deputy captain in his absence!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Deputy?!"

"As of now, Ono is our starting catcher!"

"Yes, sir!"

"I will announce the eighteen members on the tournament's roster before the day is over. Until the tournament, they will be the priority, so the rest of you, I'm counting on you to support them!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Eeeh?!"

Yukari has to hold back her laughter when she sees how disappointed her boyfriend looks.

During practice, Yukari is extremely amused when she sees Kazuya sitting on a chair beside the bullpen. From what she can hear, he's annoying the pitchers to no end. She can tell that he's bored, but there's no way she'll let him practice. If annoying the pitchers will keep him from being too bored, she'll let him off the hook.

xXx

After dinner, Yukari comes knocking to Kazuya's room. When Kazuya opens his door, he's surprised to see his girlfriend in the other side of the door, but he's in no way complaining.

"Are you here to check if I'm resting, Yuka-chan?" Kazuya asks with a playful smirk.

"Well, that too," Yukari admits, "But I have something to tell you. Do you mind if I come in?"

"Sounds serious," Kazuya says as he opens the door wider, "Go ahead."

"Thanks," Yukari says as she enters the room. Kazuya closes the door and she sits on the small tea table in the middle of the room, "Sorry to disturb you so late."

"Don't worry about it," Kazuya says, "Want something to drink?"

"No, thanks. I don't plan on staying long," Yukari says. Kazuya then sits across her.

"So? What do you have to tell me?"

"When you were getting treatment after the finals, I actually got called in by my doctor," Yukari starts. Kazuya nods at her, signaling her to continue, "He told me that I was eligible for surgery."

Kazuya's eyes widen at the information, "Really? …are you gonna do it, then?"

Yukari nods in determination, "Asano-sensei had banned me from catching so that my symptoms won't get worse with exercise. It's been hell not being able to catch when I'm watching everyone practice; especially you. Besides, if I can catch again, it would be easier for me to help the pitchers and catchers out."

"That's true…" Kazuya says, "When are you having it?"

"I asked Asano-sensei if it was possible to arrange it the day after the last day of final exams. I don't want to have to do my exam at the hospital. But it all depends on the surgeon's schedule," Yukari says.

"Asano-sensei isn't going to be the one who's operating on you?" Kazuya asks.

"No. Asano-sensei said he met a surgeon who's experienced in treating my condition in a seminar once. He's going to ask him to come in and operate on me," Yukari explains, "He told me that the recovery period is at least four weeks," Yukari says.

"Four weeks… if you're having it after the final exam… that means you wouldn't be here during Senbatsu and spring tournament," Kazuya says.

Yukari nods, "If everything goes well and I can recover quickly enough, I'll probably be able to return near the end of spring tournament, but I don't think I'll be in the dugout."

"Is that so…" Kazuya says.

"Will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"…let me watch you guys in the spring tournament. I don't care if you lose when I watch you; just let me see you on the field."

Kazuya smirks, "Yeah, sure. We'll be waiting for you."

Yukari smiles at him, "Thanks."

"When are you going to tell the guys?" Kazuya asks. When Yukari avoids his eyes, he asks again, "You _are_ going to tell the guys, right?"

"Of course I will," Yukari says as she rolls her eyes, "Just not anytime soon. I'm pretty sure they won't let me off without proper explanation, so I have to prepare my heart to tell them why I'll be leaving," she says before she stands up, "Well, that's all I gotta say. I have to go see Kantoku now."

"Eh? Why?" Kazuya asks as he walks Yukari to the door.

"I gotta tell him about the surgery too," Yukari says with a shrug.

"You haven't told him yet?"

Yukari blushes, "I… wanted you to be the first to know."

Kazuya's eyes widen at her honest words. Yukari looks to her feet to hide her blushing face as she opens the door. Her eyes widen and she turns around to look at Kazuya when he slams a hand to the door near her head, closing the door forcefully as he pushes her against it. Kazuya's lips land on hers and Yukari relaxes as she closes her eyes. She puts a hand on Kazuya's cheek as she kisses him back. He pulls away and bumps his forehead to hers. Yukari keeps her hand on his cheek.

"Don't say such cute things if you don't want another surprise attack," Kazuya says as he pulls away, "I won't keep you."

Yukari heaves a sigh as she fans her flaming face. She turns to open the door again, and this time Kazuya doesn't stop her, "Good night, Kazuya. Get some rest."

"You too. Good night, Yuka-chan."

xXx

Seidou managed to get to the semifinal round of the Jingu Tournament, but that was the end of their journey. They were head to head with their opponent until the error that the Furuya-Ono battery made in the eighth inning cost them their win with one run difference. With that, all official games for the year had been over, and teams entered the off-season. During the off-season, all non-in-team games are banned by the regulations until the opening of the next season in March.

As Seidou's Jingu Tournament comes to an end, Kazuya's three-week recovery period also nears its end. Yukari and Yasushi team up to check on his injury two days after the last match. Nabe also comes along with them. After Yukari and Yasushi are done checking his injury and asking Kazuya some questions about it, they have a short discussion and then they tell Kazuya their verdict.

"You're out of the phase where inflammation was a danger," Yasushi starts, "It's fine for you to move around now, but don't push yourself. At least, not until you no longer feel any discomfort from your injury," Kazuya lights up slightly at this information.

"You still need to let your pulled muscle heal properly so that this kind of thing won't become repetitive, so you need to refrain from straining yourself, you hear me?" Yukari asks. Kazuya nods at her.

"I understand that you might feel anxious about not being able to participate in practice for three weeks, but still…" Nabe says.

"Yeah, I got it," Kazuya says, "Thanks, Kudou. Yuka-chan."

"Take it easy, Miyuki," Yasushi says as he and Nabe leave Yukari with Kazuya.

"I can write up a training regimen for you so you'll be ready to go when you're allowed to return to practice if you want," Yukari offers.

"I was actually thinking of going to Chris-senpai's place until I can practice again."

Yukari's eyes widen after he said that, "That's… actually not a bad idea. In fact, I think it would be good for you to spend some time with someone who understands what you're going through."

"Yeah… I mean, it's only three weeks for me, but for him…" Kazuya trails off, "He struggled through his injury alone, with me biting at his heels for his place in the first string. Even with rehab taking most of his time, he didn't quit. He didn't even give up on being a player."

"…it's because he knows that there are people who are waiting for him to return," Yukari says with a small smile. She heaves a sigh, "Well, let's go back to the field. I'll talk you through the light exercises you can do in the meantime."

"Yeah, okay," Kazuya says as he stands up from his seat.


	43. Chapter 43

**I have to be honest: I'm not really happy with the way I resolved the 'conflict' between Ochiai and Yukari. But if I left it alone, it wouldn't explain why Yukari is suddenly okay with Ochiai in the team. But I tried to tie up the loose ends as well as I can, and I hope it's enough.**

 **Shall we start the beginning of the end, then?**

* * *

December 23rd is the last day of final exams of the second term of school. It also marks the beginning of the winter training camp from hell. Needless to say, Yukari looks more chipper than anyone. Not because of the end of exams, but because it is one step closer to her one week in heaven.

Kazuya's muscles have recovered enough for the doctor to give him the okay to return to practice. Yukari can't help but snicker at his misery when he realized that he came back just in time for the winter training camp. She doesn't think the camp can get any better.

After getting changed into her training outfit in her room, Yukari is stopped in her tracks by Rei calling her into the coach's room before she can go to the field. She frowns but obliges. When she enters the room and finds Ochiai, her eyes widen slightly. She thought he had left because his contract has ended.

"Sorry to keep you, Yukari-chan," Rei says, "But there's something important I'd like to inform you about."

"Something important?"

"The principal officially offered Ochiai-san a more permanent place in the team and he has accepted it. With that said, it's been decided that Ochiai-san will be the team's official assistant coach," Rei explains.

Yukari's eyes are wide but she nods. It makes sense. His policy aside, there's no doubting that he's a great coach; losing him would be a damn shame. Besides, now that the threat of Kataoka leaving is no longer there, she doesn't think she has to be wary of Ochiai and his policy anymore. She can give him a little more leg room.

"You okay with that, Ojou-san?" Ochiai asks suddenly. Yukari frowns in confusion as she looks at Seidou's new assistant coach, "I know you don't like me very much. You're quite an easy one to read, you know."

"Did you come to that conclusion based on my reaction to you questioning about why I was let in the dugout?" Yukari asks, "I have to admit, I and my fellow second year players might have overreacted, and I would like to apologize about that. But we were just on edge about the possibility of Kataoka-kantoku leaving the team and you taking over. Besides, I think you may have misunderstood me, Coach. It's not you I don't like; it's your policy. I know you meant to focus on honing Furuya's skills while abandoning the other players."

Ochiai's eyes widen slightly. Yukari suspects that he thinks she doesn't know, since he has never talked to her or within her range of hearing when he talked about prioritizing Furuya above the team. But he doesn't realize just how many ears she actually has.

Yukari sighs and shrugs, "But I've noticed that you've actually helped the other players to become so much better. My thoughts haven't changed about one thing, though; I still don't need your recognition to do my job. But as long as you have no more intention of sacrificing the team for one player's good, I have no complaints with you joining us. From now on, please lend us your strength," she says with a deep bow to Ochiai.

Ochiai seems to have frozen. Yukari straightens back up and raises a questioning eyebrow at him.

"You… are full of surprises, aren't you, Ojou-san?"

"That's one of my best features, Coach," Yukari says with a smirk, "Is that all?"

"Yes, you may go," Rei says with an amused smile. Yukari bows at the two of them and leaves for the field.

xXx

The first day of training camp doesn't really have much difference to a normal practice, since it's only the first day and the practice only started in the afternoon. The only difference would be the running menu after the sun sets.

The second day is where the fun really starts.

The players must be ready at 6 AM and start running. They continue with circuit training and swinging practice. They get a short 'rest' at 10 AM to have the usual three-bowls-of-rice breakfast. The same menu continues and at 1 PM, fielding practice starts.

When 3 PM comes around, they start batting practice – it's seriously interesting to see Sawamura being able to hit if it's from the bunting stance, even though he doesn't succeed all the time. After sunset, it's time for running menu from hell. 7 PM is time for dinner, and after dinner, the team is split into groups for weight training and power long hit batting practice. After it's done, they all take a bath and get some free time until it's time for lights out at 11 PM.

Yukari has fun overlooking this particular training camp, because the retired third years are helping out. Jun set a target of one thousand swings every day. Miyauchi and Tetsu help out with batting during fielding practice. Jun and Tanba help out with pitching to batters during batting practice (she mentally pays her condolences to the people who has to hit Jun's 'bazooka balls'). Masuko helps out with toss batting practice. Ryousuke watches over the players like a hawk during running after sunset with Kataoka. He's ready with his sharp tongue whenever he sees someone slacking off.

The third day is Christmas, and it's Yukari's fifth Christmas with the team. She hasn't spent Christmas with her family since joining Seidou, which is regrettable, but there is no way in hell she would miss out on the winter training camp. Fortunately, her parents understand. In the spirit of Christmas, the managers are all helping the cafeteria auntie make a feast for the Christmas party during dinner. When Yukari has some time to spare, she also helps out.

Right now, Yukari is overlooking the training in the dugout with Rei, Kataoka, and Ochiai. She's bundled up as the temperature has started to go down. While she leans against the wall of the dugout, Yukari peeks at Ochiai and Kataoka.

It seems that Ochiai's relationship with Kataoka has somewhat improved. They now seem to have a mutual respect for each other, while previously only Kataoka seemed to respect Ochiai. Yukari has heard them talking about baseball quite animatedly, and Yukari was pleasantly surprised when she heard Ochiai agreeing with Kataoka's way of coaching. Kataoka might have gotten into Ochiai somehow.

"Whoa… this schedule you have complied… you are a demon, you know that?" Ochiai says as he sees the training schedule. He's sitting at the back bench, heating his hands up with a heater. Yukari smirks at Ochiai's honesty. Some things just never change, apparently.

"Oh, no, not at all. The most interesting part is only starting," Kataoka says with an almost evil smirk. Yukari can't hold back an excited – and slightly evil – smile at his words.

"I heard you're going to visit some schools in the Kansai region early in the beginning of the year?" Ochiai asks. Yukari raises an eyebrow, interested with this new information.

"Yes, I am. A person from my university days promised to introduce me to a few schools there," Kataoka confirms, "I realize that this selfish decision of mine may cause you inconvenience, Ochiai-san, but still, I'm asking you to take care of the team while I'm away."

"If you want my opinion, taking a look at baseball from the outside perspective will do you good. From my personal experience I can say that I myself learned quite a few things after coming to this school," Ochiai says, "In any case, instead of forcing the pitchers to throw until they drop, I'll have them keep building physical strength and stamina, along with the rest of the team. Although, keeping Senbatsu in mind, game simulation training is also in order for them."

Yukari nods in agreement with Ochiai. He has a point. Their pitchers, especially Furuya, need to build up their stamina.

"By the time you're back, Kataoka-san, the team will be colored in my colors completely."

Yukari rolls her eyes at Ochiai's words. He keeps saying that, but she can no longer take him seriously. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Kataoka isn't going anywhere anymore. Besides, the current players are all used to Kataoka's coaching. Ochiai wouldn't be able to change them so easily and in such a short amount of time.

Kataoka smirks at Ochiai's words, "I'm looking forward to seeing it."

Yukari smirks at his words. _I'm actually curious what Coach Ochiai's colors are too. Maybe when the new players arrive, we might be able to see it. Who knows; it might even complement Kataoka-kantoku's colors._

Dinner that night has turned into a full on Christmas party. It acts as a short bit of relief for the tired players. The managers made cakes for each year and lots of food. One of the retired third years even brought in a karaoke machine. All in all, everyone is in a pretty festive mood.

Of course, said festive mood dissipates come morning. The real reason why this training camp is called 'from hell' starts from the fourth day of practice. After the players are relaxed and happy from the Christmas party, they have to return to the hellish training menu until the 30th.

On the fifth day of training, Yukari swears that some of the players have lost their minds. She can find some of them laughing at nothing. Some prospective new players who came to survey the baseball team even look a little bit turned off when they see the state of the players. By the sixth day, Yukari thinks that it's a miracle that the players' bodies can still move.

The 29th, the second to last day of training camp, is the last spurt. After dinner, they return to practice until the sun rises. After the sun makes its appearance, it seems as though the time has stopped. The players all stop their training at the head coach's command, and everyone, including Yukari, claps for them.

Yukari can't hold back a small smile when, at last, the winter training camp from hell has finally ended. The whole team lines up in front of the retiring upperclassmen, advisors, trainers, managers, and coaches, facing the sun rising from behind the scoreboard. Yukari can see tears running down some of their cheeks.

"Bow!"

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

xXx

On December 31st, the players and managers alike all leave the dorm to leave for their respective homes to spend the New Year with their families.

After returning to his home, Kazuya leaves in the evening to Yukari's house. On the train ride home, Kazuya asked her out to go visit a shrine since they've never gone together before. They decided to do it not during the New Year's Day because Kazuya insisted he wanted to be the first to wish Yukari a happy birthday. Yukari didn't complain, but she told Kazuya that he's going to be the one to ask permission to her parents.

Because it is Yukari's first visit to a shrine with her boyfriend, her mother is extremely excited to doll her daughter up. She pulled out her old, but well-kept coral-colored yukata with lotus flower accents all over it and a silvery-grey obi. She is currently putting Yukari's hair into a bun.

"Are you sure I can wear this, Okaa-san?" Yukari asks, "I mean, it's yours, isn't it?"

"I'm sure. I have always planned to give it to you for your 17th birthday," Yayoi says with a smile, "And you look fantastic in it. Just like I thought you would," Yukari gives her mother a small smile through the mirror.

"Yukari," Kawanomu calls out from the door, "Miyuki is here," he informs simply before leaving for the living room to accompany Kazuya.

"Already?!" Yayoi asks in a panic, "Your boyfriend is too punctual, Yukari!"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Yukari asks with a roll of her eyes as she waits until her mother is done with her hair. After saying that Kazuya is 'in trouble', her mother keeps complaining about him. Yukari never takes her seriously, though. She knows that her mother was just worried about him, and this is her way of expressing it, "Are you done? I don't want to keep him waiting. I told you not to do something too complicated."

"Oh, quiet, you. Just a little bit more… and done!" Yayoi says. She looks at her daughter through the mirror and smiles in satisfaction, "Kazuya-kun is going to _faint_."

"I hope not; I'm actually looking forward to this," Yukari says as she stands up. She takes her purse and walks toward the living room. Kazuya is sitting on one of the couches with his back to her, conversing animatedly with her father. Yukari smiles when she sees how comfortable Kazuya is with her father. Judging from the snippets of conversations she can hear, they're talking about – of course – baseball. Yukari rolls her eyes.

"Can I interrupt this conversation, baseball idiots?"

Kawanomu's eyes light up when he sees his daughter and says, "Says the baseball idiot herself. You look beautiful, Yukari."

"Thanks, Otou-san," Yukari says with a smile. Kazuya turns around and gapes when he sees Yukari, to which she blushes at. He's wearing blue padded vest over brown jacket and white plaid shirt with dark blue pants. He also wears a wristwatch on his left wrist.

"Yuka-chan… you…" Kazuya stutters as he slowly stands up from his seat. He rubs the back of his neck, "You look _beautiful_."

Yukari blushes even more, "Thanks."

"Oh, um… here," Kazuya reaches into his jacket pocket and procures a small box. Yukari accepts and opens it to find a pink and gold cherry blossom flower-shaped hair accessory, "My dad told me he wanted you to have this. He said this was the hair clip my late mom always used to wear whenever she wore a kimono or yukata."

Yukari's eyes widen. She didn't know Kazuya had lost his mother. Not to mention the accessory must be very important to both Kazuya and his father, "Oh, there's no way I can take this; I feel bad…"

"He insisted," Kazuya cuts Yukari off, "Besides, it's not like anyone in my family will wear it. Consider it an early birthday present."

Yukari sighs, but nods, "Thank you. I'll treasure it," she says before turning to look at her mother, "Okaa-san, can you put it on me?"

Yayoi sighs dreamily, "Kazuya-kun is just too sweet," she says as she removes the hair clip that is holding Yukari's bangs and replaces it with the new hair clip

"You're not complaining about that, are you?" Yukari asks with a raised eyebrow.

Yayoi grins, "That was a compliment," she says before turning Yukari's body around so that she's facing Kazuya again, taking the empty box off of Yukari's hands.

Kazuya smiles, "It suits you."

"Thanks," Yukari says.

"Let's go?" Kazuya asks. Yukari nods. They walk to the genkan followed by her parents. He puts on his brown boots while she wears her geta. He then turns to her parents, "I'll have her back by 1."

"Take your time; Yukari has a key," Kawanomu waves him off.

"Have a great time, you two!" Yayoi says with a bright smile.

"We're leaving," Yukari says as Kazuya bows to her parents. They then leave the house to take the train to Asakusa.

They go to a shrine there and wait for their turn to pray. After praying, Yukari and Kazuya are standing in a less crowded part of the shrine's yard when the bell rings for the 108th time, signaling the arrival of a new year. Kazuya, who has Yukari's shoulders wrapped in his arm, turns to kiss her temple gently.

"Happy birthday, Yuka-chan," Kazuya says, "Close your eyes."

"Eh? Why?"

"I have to give you your present."

"I thought the hair clip was the present?"

"Let's say that that's from my dad. This one's from me. Come on."

Yukari sighs, but complies. She waits and then she feels Kazuya behind her. When he tells her to open her eyes again, she does and feels around her neck and finds some chain. She touches it and looks down to see a Japanese apricot or ume blossom pendant resting on her chest.

"I found this in a craft store near my house and I thought of you. I heard from your dad that your favorite flower was ume blossoms," Yukari can hear the smirk in Kazuya's voice, "Of course you'd have to like a flower that will grow into a fruit."

Yukari scoffs, "They're beautiful as flowers and delicious as fruits; what more could you possibly want?"

Kazuya laughs, "Well, I hope you like it."

"I do. I'll treasure this. And this too," Yukari says as she points at the hair accessory holding her bangs back. She smiles at Kazuya, "Thank you, Kazuya. Happy new year. I'm counting on you this year as well."

Kazuya smiles back at her, "Yeah, happy new year. I'll be in your care again, Yuka-chan."

xXx

After the winter vacation is over, the Seidou baseball team members return to the dorm.

With Kataoka on leave to learn and improve himself in Kansai, the team is in Ochiai's hands. In January, the training is centered on improving the players' physical condition. But because they have to prepare for Senbatsu, it will be limited to January only. On February, they will shift the training menu geared towards helping the players get back the real game feel before Senbatsu starts in late March.

Yukari wishes that she can watch them grow through Senbatsu, but she has her own agenda.

As March 7th comes around, it's time for the third years to graduate.

Yukari and the managers say their goodbyes to Takako, with Yui and Sachi clinging to her tearfully. Takako looks a little bit overwhelmed, but she lets them say their goodbyes. Haruno is also spilling a few tears, but not as bad as Yui and Sachi. Yukari gives Takako a small, sad smile as she says her goodbyes.

After saying goodbye to Takako, Yukari goes to the baseball field and finds the retired players with the current players gathering for their last goodbyes. Yukari can't lie and say that she's not sad that the third years are graduating. Even though it's not a permanent goodbye, there are people who won't be in Tokyo anymore, like Jun, who got into a university in Kansai.

She can see Zono crying as Jun headlocks him. She chuckles to herself when she sees both Kadota and Sakai fighting to give their outfield gloves to Furuya. Yukari walks toward where the Kominato brothers and Youichi are, and her smile turns wistful. When Ryousuke sees her expression, she can swear that his eyes are glinting, despite the fact she can't really see them.

"You dare cry, Yukari?" Ryousuke asks, almost threatens.

At his words, Yukari chuckles, "Of course not. I think Youichi-kun is about to, though."

"S-Shut up!" Youichi stutters as he hides his teary eyes, "R-Ryou-san! Let's take a picture! Haruichi, take one for me!" he says as he hands his phone to Haruichi. The pink-haired first year takes the phone and Yukari chuckles when Kijima photo-bombs them.

"Congratulations on graduating. You're still playing in the university, right, Ryou-nii?" Yukari asks.

"What kind of dumb question is that? Of course I am," Ryousuke answers easily, "I have a very important task for you, Yukari, so listen up."

Yukari raises an eyebrow in confusion, "Okay…?"

"I want you to take care of Haruichi. He can be a little bit of a pain…"

"A-Aniki!"

"…but he's my annoyingly talented younger brother," Ryousuke says with a genuine smile, ruffling Haruichi's hair, "So I'm leaving him to you, my cute imouto-chan."

Yukari smiles at the delighted look on Haruichi's face and nods at Ryousuke. She regrets that she may not be able to do it right away, but she's ready for the task, "Got it."

"I know I don't need to say this, but you need to take care of yourself too, Yukari," Ryousuke says.

"You're right; you don't need to say that," Yukari says with a small smirk.

"U-Um… Aneki… won't you take a picture with us?" Haruichi asks, "I-I mean, it's our last chance before Aniki goes to university, and…"

"You're so sentimental," Ryousuke says, chopping his younger brother's head with his signature chop that Yukari adopted.

"I don't mind," Yukari says. Ryousuke sighs in resignation. The three of them hand their phones to Youichi so they can all have a different photo in each of their phones. Yukari smiles when she sees the photo in hers. She then excuses herself to greet the other graduating third years.

Tetsu and Jun remind her to continue to work hard in supporting the team. Masuko promises to cut back on the pudding. Tanba and Miyauchi give her their condolences on having to handle Kazuya for another year, but wish her luck in keeping the team together. She wishes Chris good luck in therapy and he wishes her luck in supporting the team and her studies.

After the gathering in the field, the retired players, now alumni of Seidou High School, along with the current first and second year players and managers, all gather in the dorm's cafeteria for a farewell party.

The head coach says a few words to say goodbye to the graduating class, along with Oota and Rei. When Rei asks if there's anyone who wants to say a few words, Yukari raises her hand. She is met with applause. Yukari stands in front of the crowd and takes a deep breath.

"First of all, congratulations to the graduating class. I know how hard you guys have worked for the last three years. You had been one of the best teams Seidou has ever had, and I am so proud of all of you. I wish you all luck in whatever path you chose to walk on. Thank you for the last three years. Don't forget to invite me to your first games, or I will hunt you all down," Yukari says. The graduating third years clap their hands for her with a bright smile on their faces, even though her last words are a threat, and they know she means it.

Yukari then takes a deep breath before saying, "Second of all, I have an announcement, particularly for the current players."

She ignores the confused looks from everyone as she catches Kazuya's eyes. He looks confused, but he doesn't look away from her. She gives him a small smile and turns to look at the crowd once more.

"It's sudden, but after the last day of the final exams, I will be taking some time off from the team."

The room is then washed in complete silence. It's almost comical how the whole room, save for the staffs and Kazuya, react in complete unison.

"EEEH?!"

"W-Why?! Are you sick of us, Yukihime-senpai?!"

"W-Why so sudden…?"

"And for how long…?"

Yukari sighs again, "I will be leaving the team at least for four weeks. That means I will not be present in the dugout for the entirety of Senbatsu, and might return at the later phase of spring tournament. That's why I will be leaving my jobs to Nabe, Yasushi-kun, and Shuuji-kun. I'm counting on you."

"S-Sure…" Nabe says as he looks at Yasushi and Shuuji, shock evident in their eyes.

"W-Wait, Ichikawa. You don't think we'll let you off without explanation, do you?" Youichi asks.

"T-That's right! I can't accept this!" Zono exclaims.

Yukari sighs harshly, "I am sorry to have kept this from everyone, but I did it because I didn't want it to be a big deal. I have a heart condition, and I am going to have surgery to treat it."

Expectedly, the team grows louder at the revelation. Yukari raises her voice, "Can I finish?" when the noise dies down, Yukari continues, "Thank you. The recovery period is said to be at least four weeks. After those four weeks, if everything goes well, I will return to the team."

Yukari looks at the team and sees worry in their eyes. The graduating third years who didn't know about her condition also look worried. So do the managers. She sighs as she thinks of a way to lift the mood a little.

"I may not be able to return to the dugout immediately, but I will watch you guys during the spring tournament…" she then smirks at the team, "That is, _if_ you guys manage to make it until at _least_ the quarterfinals."

When she sees the frustrated and angry looks from the players, Yukari smirks in amusement. Her plan is working.

"We'll show you what we're made of!"

"Yeah, yeah! We'll definitely get there!"

"Besides, we'll definitely get seeded so we'll have a head start!"

"You're gonna swallow your words when you get back, Ichikawa!"

"Yeah, what he said!"

"Good," Yukari says with a smirk. _Prove me wrong, you guys,_ she thinks, "That is all."

xXx

Yukari is standing in front of her somewhat bare dorm on the last day of the final exams. Since she is going to spend less time in the dorm until she's fully recovered, her parents had made the decision to move most of her things out of her dorm. Right now, the room is currently empty save for the bed, the mini freezer, and the half-empty dresser. Her things have been moved back to her house.

The previous night, the whole team, including some of the just-graduated third years who had some time to visit, held a farewell party for her. Yukari had insisted that it was unnecessary, since she would only be leaving the team for a month, but she got overwhelmingly outnumbered by the managers, the cafeteria auntie, and, for some reason, Sawamura.

She was glad to see Ryousuke again, though. He chopped her head and reprimanded her for carelessly saying that she'll take care of Haruichi when she couldn't immediately do it. But then he said that he might consider forgiving her, since she's leaving the team for a while to, in a way, take care of herself. Yukari felt that it was his way of wishing her luck. The chop still hurt, though.

If Yukari has to be honest, she's scared. A heart surgery is very serious business. One mistake could cost her life. One of the biggest reasons why she didn't want the farewell party is because it made it seem as though she wouldn't be coming back. It both scared her and made her all the more determined to return in better health.

"When it's bare like this, the room is actually pretty wide, huh?"

Yukari nods, "Yeah."

"You ready?"

Yukari sighs, "I guess," she says as she closes the door.

Kazuya and Yukari walk hand in hand to the gate of the dorm, where her parents are ready to take her to the hospital. When Yukari sees her family's car, she stops and her grip on Kazuya's hand tightens. Kazuya stops in his tracks and turns to look at his girlfriend. When he sees the anxiety in her face, he puts his free hand on her cheeks.

"You'll come visit me, right?" Yukari asks shakily, looking extremely nervous.

"Right after we got back from Osaka," Kazuya says with a firm nod.

"Don't you dare lose early in the spring tournament; I wanna go to see you in the stadium, not at school," Yukari says, sounding and looking more and more panicked by the second.

"I promise," Kazuya says as he leans forward and catches her lips in a kiss. Yukari stiffens in his hold, but eventually her shaking subsides and she relaxes. He pulls away from the kiss, and then presses their foreheads together, "It's okay. We'll all be waiting for you to return."

Yukari takes a deep breath and nods as she exhales. She then wraps her arms around his torso and buries her face in his chest, inhaling his distinctive smell. Kazuya pets her hair as he occasionally plays with it. She then pulls away and looks into Kazuya's eyes, looking a little bit less anxious, and nods at him in determination, "I'm leaving."

Kazuya smirks and says, "Be careful."

Yukari nods at him once again, this time with a smirk of her own, and turns to walk to her car. Kazuya waits until he can no longer see her car in the distance. He then turns around and walks toward the indoor practice building. He has to practice so Yukari has a match to return to, after all.

* * *

 **And that is it for Snow Princess! I will be writing the Daiya no Ace act II version, but it hasn't really gone too far.**

 **I will, though, give you a small teaser, in hopes that it will pacify you for a while:**

 _ **"Like you said, no use crying over spilled milk. Just look forward like you usually do; it**_ **i** **s** _ **one of your best features," she then looks at Sawamura, smirking under her mask, "I will say this, though; your performance today was one of the best I've ever seen from you. Nice pitching, Sawamura."**_

 _ **Sawamura's eyes widen in shock, and then he grins and shouts, "Y-YUKIHIME-SENPAI PRAISED ME! FINALLY!"**_

 **"Th** **at's** _ **your focus?" the girl rolls her eyes in resignation. She decides to take off her mask since there's no more point in her wearing it. Now everyone's going to realize that she's there. She looks at Sawamura with glinting eyes not unlike her pseudo older brother, Kominato Ryousuke, "But that double better not be a fluke, Sawamura, or your head is mine."**_

 _ **"Y-Yes, ma'am…"**_

 **Thank you so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. I think this is, so far, the longest fic I've ever written, and I'm very happy with the amount of attention it's getting. I'm glad that something that was supposed to only entertain me can entertain other people as well.**

 **Until next time~!**


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